Udupi: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday made a strong pitch for building the Ram Temple on the disputed site at Ayodhya, saying only the mandir would come up there and not any other structure.
Addressing the "Dh\arma Sansad", a congregation of 2,000 Hindu saints, mutt heads and VHP leaders from across the country at this small temple town here, he said there should be no ambiguity that Ram Temple will be built at Ayodhya. "We will construct it. It is not a populist declaration but a matter of our faith. It will not change," Bhagwat said.
The Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh(RSS) chief said that after years of efforts and sacrifice, it (building the Ram temple) seemed possible now, while also noting that the matter was in the court.
"Ram Mandir only will be constructed and nothing else. It will be constructed there only" (what is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram), Bhagwat said.
He said the temple would be constructed in the same grandeur as it existed before, using the "same stones" under the guidance of those who were the flag-bearers of the Ram janmabhoomi movement for the last 25 years.
But prior to it (building the temple), public awareness was essential, he said. "We are close to achieving our goal but at this juncture, we should be extra cautious," he said.
Construction of the Ram temple, prevention of religious conversions and cow protection are among the key issues to be discussed at VHP's three-day 'Dharma Sansad'.
The meet will also discuss issues of discrimination on the basis of caste and gender and explore ways to ensure harmony within Hindu society, the organisers said.
The RSS chief also said the seers and Hindus gathered in huge numbers at the meet need to ponder over the conducive atmosphere prevailing in the country and elsewhere.
He cautioned the people against the forces which divide the society and asked them to remain alert. The RSS supremo also spoke about religious conversion and the need to reach out to those who are prone to it.
"The strength of the society lies in its unity. When it is destroyed, anti-national forces gain foothold. We need to understand the consequences of religious conversion. We need to reach out to those who are prone to conversion," Bhagwat said.