'What Happened To Socialism, Garibi Hatao? India's Livelihood Path Goes Through Ram Mandir': RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat asserted on Monday (13 January) that India attained its 'true independence' on the day the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir's inauguration in Ayodhya.

He said, "Paush Shukla Dwadashi was earlier called Vaikuntha Dwadashi because it fell after Vaikuntha Ekadashi but now should be called Pratishtha Dwadashi because it established India's freedom."

Bhagwat said that India got political independence from the British on 15 August 1947 and had a Constitution but could not run according to the spirit of its vision because we could not place our minds over its foundation.

After bestowing the 'National Devi Ahilya Award' upon Champat Rai, the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Bhagwat gave his speech in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Hindustan Times reported.

The RSS chief emphasised that the movement for the Ram Temple was not initiated in opposition to anyone. “This movement was started to awaken the 'self' (swa) of Bharat so that the country could stand on its own feet and show the path to the world," he said.

Bhagwat stated that the invaders demolished the nation's temples in an attempt to extinguish the "self" or identity of India. He stated that the duration of the Ram Mandir movement was prolonged due to the resistance from certain factions who were against the construction of a temple at Lord Ram's birthplace.

The RSS chief said during the Ram Mandir movement in the 1980s, some people used to ask him the "standard question" -- as to "why is the issue of the temple being raised leaving aside the concern for the livelihood of the people?

"I used to ask those people that despite talking about socialism after independence in 1947, giving slogans of 'Garibi Hatao' (eradicate poverty) and worrying about people's livelihood all the time, where did India stand in the 1980s and where have countries like Israel and Japan reached?" he said to the gathering.

The RSS chief said he used to tell these people that "India's livelihood path goes through the entrance of Ram temple, and they should keep this in mind."