Ram temple will deeply connect Indian society to its roots: Vaidya

With the Sangh's decades-long ideological pursuit of a Ram temple in Ayodhya being realised, the RSS joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya said Tuesday that the temple will deeply connect the Indian society to its cultural roots to prosper economically and expand culturally as a model to guide humanity.

With the Sangh's decades-long ideological pursuit of a Ram temple in Ayodhya being realised, the RSS joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya said Tuesday that the temple will deeply connect the Indian society to its cultural roots to prosper economically and expand culturally as a model to guide humanity. Projecting Ram temple as a "symbol of Bharat's glorious past", Vaidya said this temple will guide humanity to live together in harmony, peace and prosperity in this ethnic, religious and culturally diverse world.

Referring to Dr Rajendra Prasad's speech on restoration of Somnath temple, Vaidya said the country's first president had stated that the construction of Somnath temple would be deemed complete only when as a nation India acquires those high level of cultural values in social and national life and the economic prosperity which it once had. "Same thing applies here with Ram Mandir. Besides being a holy shrine, it will become epitome of cultural values and economic prosperity," Vaidya told PTI.

Saying that the construction of the temple will be a "landmark moment" in Indian history, Vaidya added, "Ram temple will help us get deeply connected to our cultural roots to prosper economically and expand culturally as a model to guide humanity to live together in harmony, peace and prosperity in this ethnic, religious, culturally diverse world." Vaidya has been putting forth the views of RSS on Ram temple. He has said it should not be seen as a political issue but as a matter of faith for the Indian society at large. Construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya has been central to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's ideology, figures prominently in its idea of a "Hindu Rashtra" and is seen as a symbol of cultural nationalism.

Though the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the BJP, both members of the larger saffron family, had been at the forefront of the Ram temple movement, it was the Sangh, as the ideological fountainhead of the family, that remained the guiding force in the struggle. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's name being imprinted on the invitation for the 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the guest of honour establishes the significance of the saffron organisation in the movement.

Bhagwat will share the dais with Modi, who will do the bhoomi pujan on August 5 in Ayodhya. The ceremony will be broadcast live by Doordarshan.

Last November, the Supreme Court paved the way for the construction of the temple.

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