Building Ram temple victory of development over demolition, spirituality and devotion over religious bigotry: Amit Shah

New Delhi, Feb 10: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah Saturday said that the majority community in society had not fought such a long legal battle to exercise its faith in any country in the world.

Participating in the discussion in the Lok Sabha today under Rule 193 on the construction of the Ram temple and the consecration of lord Ram’s idol, he said, “Today I want to present thoughts of his heart and voice of the people of the country in this House, which was suppressed in the court documents for years and got expression after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister.”

Shah said that January 22, 2024, was going to be a historic day for 10,000 years.

He said that January 22 marks the end of the struggle and movement against injustice that started in 1528.

The Home Minister said that January 22 was the day of aspiration and accomplishment of crores of devotees of lord Ram, the renaissance of spiritual consciousness of the entire India, and the beginning of the journey of a Great India.

He said that January 22 was the day to pave the way for India to become a teacher of the world.

“I thank all the warriors who fought for Ram temple from 1528 to 2024,” Shah said.

He said that India could not be imagined without lord Ram and Ram Charitra and those who want to get acquainted, know and feel this country, cannot do so without lord Ram and Ramcharit Manas.

The Home Minister said that lord Ram’s character and lord Ram were the soul of the people of India.

He said that those who imagine India without lord Ram do not know India and they represent India’s era of slavery.

Shah said that lord Ram was not a person, but a symbol of crores of people on how to live an ideal life and that is why he was called Maryada Purushottam.

He said that Ram Rajya was not for any particular religion or sect, rather it was a symbol of what an ideal state should be like, not only for India but for the entire world.

The Home Minister said that the work of re-establishing lord Ram and lord Ram's character had been done by the hands of PM Modi on January 22.

“We are all among those fortunate people who wanted to see the Ram temple in Ayodhya since 1528,” he said.

Shah said that Indian culture and the Ramayana cannot be seen separately.

“In many languages, regions, and religions, the Ramayana has been mentioned, translated, and its traditions and work have been done to make it the basis of national consciousness,” he said.

The Home Minister said that many countries had accepted the Ramayana and recognised it as an ideal epic.

He said that on January 22, the nation's wish was fulfilled from the hands of PM Modi.

Shah said that the legal battle had been going on since 1858, and it ended after 330 years.

“Today, Ram Lalla is in his house,” he said.

The Home Minister said that the history of Ram Janmabhoomi was very long, and many kings, saints, organisations, and legal experts had contributed to it.

He said that PM Modi performed the Bhoomi Pujan of Ram Setu and performed the consecration of Ram Lalla.

Shah said that even before this movement gained momentum in 1990, his party had made this promise to the people of the country.

He said that PM Modi does whatever he says.

The Home Minister said that the decision of the Supreme Court had shown the secular character of India to the entire world.

He said that the fight for Ram Janmabhoomi continued from 2014 to 2019, lakhs of pages were translated, and then in 2019, Modi again became the PM.

“After the court's decision, PM Modi laid its foundation on August 5, 2019. He said that in this movement, crores of people took their wish and devotion to Ayodhya constitutionally and peacefully,” Shah said.

He said that Ashok Singhal took this journey to its extreme, L K Advani created public awareness, and Modi awakened a spiritual consciousness by fulfilling the aspirations of the people.

“This entire movement will be seen as a democratic value that how a country kept pleading patiently in the Supreme Court for so long to fulfil the religious beliefs of its majority society and after the decision of the Supreme Court, it is fulfilled in a harmonious atmosphere,” the Home Minister said.

He said that during the judgement of the Supreme Court and the construction of the Ram temple, many people said that there would be violence in the country, but PM Modi’s visionary thinking also converted the court's judgement into an order of the apex court acceptable to all instead of victory or defeat.

Shah said that when invited to perform Bhoomi Pujan after the construction, PM Modi kept a difficult fast for 11 days.

He said that the PM performed consecration by not sleeping on the bed for 11 days, drinking only coconut water, and immersing himself in the devotion of lord Ram.

The Home Minister said that the Bhakti movement was not new in India.

He said that in the thousands of years-long cultural and political history of India, a leader had shown the qualities of leadership.

Shah said that many important results had been achieved in the last 10 years under the leadership of PM Modi.

“Earlier there was a government with policy paralysis and today by making many policies, Modi has taken India's economy from 11th position to 5th in the world,” he said. “When China tampered with our border like in 1962, India stood firm under the leadership of Modi.”

The Home Minister said that when terrorist attacks took place in Poonch and Pulwama, PM Modi demonstrated bravery of leadership by carrying out surgical strikes and air strikes and also retaliated by entering their places.

He said that when thousands of children were stressed during exams, he showed leadership like a father and did Pariksha pe Charcha to discuss exam phobia.

“Thereafter, when the opportunity came for Ram temple, like a monk and a devotee, he created an environment of spiritual consciousness proudly,” Shah said.

He said that this country needed such leadership for a very long time.

The Home Minister said that 140 crore people of the country ended all the challenges of the country by electing Modi as the PM.

He said that the construction of the Ram temple was a wonderful example of social unity and cultural renaissance by connecting the entire society.

Shah said that the Ram temple built in Ayodhya was the victory of development over demolition and spirituality and devotion over religious bigotry.