Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in tangle on Ram temple date

New Delhi: In a desperate bid to keep the emotive issue of Ram Mandir lingering ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the RSS on Friday had to issue a clarification after its second-in-command Bhaiyya Joshi’s remarks on setting a new deadline for the temple, was perceived as a jab at the Narendra Modi government. 

Both the RSS and Mr Joshi had to later assert that he had not said, a day earlier, that the temple construction would begin in 2025 but had said that its construction should begin now so that it is completed by the time next ‘Mahakumbh’ takes place in 2025. 

The Sangh parivar affiliated ‘Dharamsansad’ of saints and seers are likely to announce some “major announcement” during their meet starting on January 31 in Prayagraj, the venue of ongoing Kumbh Mela.

With the crucial Lok Sabha polls just around the corner, Mr Joshi’s remarks at Prayagraj on Thursday at an event setting a new deadline of 2025 led the political circle abuzz that the RSS had “lost hopes” that the temple would be construction in the BJP regime. 

For the past few months, the RSS-led Sangh Parivar had been building pressure on the Modi government to start the construction of the temple, with the VHP setting the deadline of recently-concluded winter session of Parliament for a legislation or an ordinance on the issue.

However, the Prime Minister said that an ordinance on Ram Mandir arises only after legal process gets over and Supreme Court gives its verdict.

“1952 mein Somnath mandir ki sthapana ke sath desh gati se aage ba-dha.... 2025 mein Ram janambhumi ke upar mandir bananae ke baad fir is disha ko aur gati prapt hone wali hai... Ayodhya ke mandir nirmaan ke baad desh agle 150 saalon ke liye punji praapt karega,” the RSS leader said at the event at the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Thursday.

However, when asked about his remarks on Friday Mr Joshi said that the RSS wants the temple to be constructed and it should be constructed by 2025.