Sadhus and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in one voice demanded early construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, on the first day of the two-day Vishwa Hindu Parishad-sponsored Dharma Sansad in the Kumbh city on Thursday.
The presence of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at the Dharma Sansad has increased its importance even though the rival faction led by Shankaracharya Swarupnand Saraswati has on Wednesday announced the ‘shilanyas’ for the Ram temple at Ayodhya on February 21.
The Shankarachaya’s announcement, which has been supported by the strong Akhara Parishad, has been denounced by the VHP on the grounds that the shilanyas was done in 2001 and there is no need for another such event.
In his address to the Dharma Sansad, being held in the VHP camp at Sector 14 of the Mumbh Mela Area, Bhagwat called for unity among the Hindu community and said that until the youths connected with their roots, the community could not be strengthened.
“There are many moves afoot to divide the Hindu society. Accordingly, it is the need of the hour to reunite the segmented Hindus through a religious renaissance,” the RSS chief said.
“The Supreme Court has said that temples are a public place but it is not so. Besides being a public place, a temple is also a sacred place for the Hindus. The court’s observation cannot be accepted,” he said.
The RSS chief accused the Kerala government of oppressing devotees of Lord Ayyappa by exceeding the judicial mandate on the Sabarimala temple.
He said when the women from the country refused to go to the temple, the Kerala government brought women from Sri Lanka to give them entry in the temple to insult the Hindus.
“The apex court had said that women, if they wanted, could go to the Sabarimala temple and if required they should be given security. When no Indian women was ready to go to the temple, the Kerala government brought women from Sri Lanka and took them inside the temple through back door,” he said in the meeting presided over by Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Sarswati.
However, amid speculation that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath might attend the Dharama Sansad, his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya reached the venue and took the blessings of saints and sat on the back side of the dais.
Though Yogi Adityanath, was in the Kumbh city in the morning to meet RSS chief and other saints, he skipped the Dharma Sansad.
Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chairperson and head of Mani Ramdasji Chhavni in Ayodhya, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das said the people of the country had full confidence that Ram temple would be contructed during the present BJP regime.
“If Ram temple is not constructed during the Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath rules, when it will be constructed?” he asked.
Demanding early construction of the Ram temple, the mahant said the government should evolve a smooth constitutional process for building the temple.
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev in his address demanded enforcement of common civil code.
Around 5,000 saints are attending the Dharma Sansad, though it has been boycotted by 13 akharas.
VHP working president Alok Kumar and international president Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje along with entire working committee were present.
On the first day, a resolution was passed on Sabarimala temple, suggesting a Ayodhya-like campaign to unite the Hindus.
On Friday, the Dharma Sansad will adopt a resolution on the Ram temple.