Ayodhya - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that his outfit and other like-minded organisations struggled for nearly 30 years to fulfill the resolve of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.
"I remember the then RSS chief Balasaheb Deoras telling us that we shall have to struggle for 20-30 years, only then will this be fulfilled. We struggled for 30 years and in the 30th year, we have now attained the joy of fulfilling our resolution," Bhagwat said.
The RSS chief was one of the selected invitees at the ‘Bhoomi Pujan' ceremony of a Ram temple at the Shri Ram Janmabhumi site where a Lord Shri Ram was born.
Bhagwat, who attended the `Bhumi Pujan` ceremony for Shri Ram Mandir along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recalled that several people made sacrifices for the temple in Ayodhya and now with the construction work starting there is a “wave of joy across the country.”
"So many people sacrificed their lives, but they could not be present here physically," Bhagwat said that the RSS had taken the cause for the Shri Ram Mandir while addressing a gathering in Ayodhya.
The RSS chief also mentioned BJP patriarch LK Advani and the late VHP leader Ashok Singhal among others for their contribution to the Shri Ram Temple Movement.
Remembering Advani, who could not attend the `Bhumi Pujan` ceremony in Ayodhya, the RSS chief said, "There are many who could not be physically present today due to the global pandemic, but they are present in spirit. I am sure all of them, including Advani ji, would be watching the event from his home and will be glad today to see their dream come true."
The RSS leader also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking bold steps for making the country self-reliant. He stressed that everyone should take a vow to make India self-reliant.
This day brings the confidence needed to make India ‘self-reliant’, Bhagwat told the gathering. The RSS chief added that India believes in `Vasudev Kutumbhkam`, which means the entire World is One Family.
"We believe in taking everyone along. Today is a new beginning of a new India," Bhagwat said. He also emphasised on making Ayodhya beautiful and said that the work for the Ram temple has started and we are eager for the completion of the temple.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the ground-breaking ceremony during which he laid the foundation stone for the construction of a grand Shri Ram Temple in the holy town of Ayodhya.
While addressing an august gathering of 175 distinguished guests, PM Modi said, “A grand temple will now be built for our Ram Lalla who had been staying in a tent. Today, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi breaks free of the cycle of breaking and getting built again - that had been going on for centuries.’’
The Prime Minister further said, “It is my good fortune that I was invited to witness this historical moment... From Kanyakumari to Kshirbhavani, from Koteshwar to Kamakhya, from Jagannath to Kedarnath, Somnath to Kashi Vishwanath...today entire country is immersed in Lord Ram.”
The PM, who began his speech with 'Jai Siyaram', said, “This call is resonating not only in the city of Lord Ram but throughout the world today. I express gratitude to all citizens of this nation, Indian diaspora across the world and all the devotees of Lord Ram on today's pious occasion.”
The PM went on to say "Ram Mandir will become the modern symbol of our traditions. It'll become a symbol of our devotion, our national sentiment. This temple will also symbolise the power of the collective resolution of crores of people. It will keep inspiring future generations.''
PM Narendra Modi, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Shri Ram Temple trust president Nritya Gopal Das and a group of priests performed the foundation stone laying ceremony amid chants of the Vedic Mantras.
The Prime Minister also unveiled the plaque of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in the presence of Shri Ram Mandir Trust president Nitya Gopal Das, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, UP Governor Anandiben Patel and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat and many others. He also released a commemorative postage stamp on the 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir'.