"Reclaiming True Meaning Of Secularism": LK Advani On Ram Temple Movement

Veteran BJP leader L K Advani has said the Ram Janmbhoomi movement, whose primary objective was construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, also became a symbol of "reclaiming the true meaning of secularism from the onslaught of pseudo-secularism".

In an article, 'Shri Ram Mandir: Fulfilment of a divine dream', penned by Advani and shared by his office on Saturday, the BJP leader said a significant debate started during the movement around the difference between genuine secularism and pseudo-secularism.

Advani, who had launched the epochal Ram Rath Yatra in 1990, said, "On the one hand there was a groundswell of popular support for the movement. On the other hand most political parties were shying away from supporting it as they feared losing Muslim votes. They succumbed to the lure of this vote-bank politics and justified it in the name of secularism." "Thus, the Ayodhya issue, whose primary objective was the reconstruction of the Ramjanmabhoomi temple also became a symbol of reclaiming the true meaning of secularism from the onslaught of pseudo-secularism," the 96-year-old leader added.

In the run-up to the January 22 consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Advani said, the atmosphere in the entire country has truly become "Ram-maya".

He said this is a moment of fulfilment for him, not just as a proud member of the RSS and the BJP but also as a proud citizen of India.

He said he felt blessed that he would witness the historic occasion in his lifetime.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi does the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Lord Ram's idol in Ayodhya on January 22, Advani said, he would be representing "every citizen of our great Bharat".

"It is my belief and my hope that this temple will inspire all Indians to imbibe Shri Ram's virtues. I also pray that our great country not only continues to accelerate on the path of becoming a global power but also presents itself as a sterling example of dignity and decorum in all walks of life," he said.

He said while a protracted legal battle went on to resolve the Ayodhya land dispute, he and every member of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar continued working towards awakening the soul of Indians to realise this dream of restoring Ram Lalla in his rightful abode.

"I am very happy that due to the decisive verdict of the Supreme Court in November 2019, the reconstruction of Shri Ram Mandir has happened in an environment of tranquillity," Advani said.

And now that the magnificent temple is in the final stages of completion, he said he is filled with a sense of deep gratitude towards the Prime Minister Modi-led government, Vishva Hindu Parishad, RSS, BJP and the countless people associated with his yatra, saints, leaders and kar sevaks.

Advani said he is missing two persons -- his wife Kamla and former prime minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee -- immensely.

He said Vajpayee was an integral part of his life, both political and personal, and he shared an "unbreakable and everlasting bond of mutual trust, affection and respect" with the former prime minister.

"The second person is my late wife Kamla, who had been the mainstay of stability and a source of unparalleled strength to me, not only during the Shri Ram Rath Yatra, but throughout my long stint in public life," he said.

Asserting that the Ramjanmabhoomi movement proved to be a major watershed in the history of post-1947 India, Advani said he felt humbled that destiny made him perform a pivotal duty in the form of the Ram Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya in 1990.

"I believe that before any event finally occurs in reality, it takes shape and form in a person's mind. At that time, I was feeling that a befitting temple for Shri Ram in Ayodhya would indeed be a certainty one day and that it was only a matter of time," he said.

Advani's Rath Yatra was cut short following his arrest in Bihar but the popular upsurge the movement sparked propelled the BJP to the centre stage of national politics, paving the way for the party to form its first central government in the late 1990s under Vajpayee's leadership.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)