RSS chief rues that Advani could not attend the ceremony
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who along with RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, attended bhumi pujan at Ayodhya on Wednesday and addressed the congregation gathered there did not mention veteran BJP leader LK Advani’s contribution towards realisation of the Ram Temple.
Bhagwat did briefly recall the role of the BJP patriarch in the temple movement and also marked his absence in the ceremony.
The RSS Chief commenced his speech with the struggles faced by each and every person associated with the Ram Temple movement. Bhagwat said he is very happy that finally after 30 years the promise has been fulfilled. He mentioned that many sacrificed their lives in this movement and though they are not present physically, they are watching us.
“Rath yatra ka netritav karnewale Advaniji apene ghar per baith kar is karyakram ko dekh rahain honge. Kitne hi log hain jo aa bhi sakte hain, lekin bulaye nahin ja sakte, paristhithi hi aisi hain,” said the RSS head.
He also said, “It would have been great if late Ashok Singhal and Mahant Paramhans Ramchandra Das were present, but they are bracing us with their blessings.”
The Prime Minister in his long speech generally talked about the “struggle” to achieve the goal of Ram Temple but did not mention anyone by name, including Advani. Modi’s speech escaped the history of the temple movement and instead focussed on what it would mean to India’s future and the world.
Advani, 92, and Murli Manohar Joshi, 86, the two BJP leaders who made a major contribution towards Ram Temple did not figure in the list of 200 invitees to the ceremony.
Advani on Tuesday, in a statement, reminisced his role in “galvanising the aspirations, energies and passions of countless participants of the movement “and recalled his famous Ram Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya in 1990”.