Premise of tradition not taken into consideration: Mohan Bhagwat on Sabarimala verdict

By Kashmir Age Online Last updated Oct 18, 2018

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said that “premise of the tradition that has been accepted by society and continuously followed for years together was not taken into consideration” in the Sabarimala case. “The version of heads of religious denominations and faiths of crores of devotees was not taken into consideration,” the RSS chief said while delivering his speech at a Vijayadashami event in Nagpur.

The Sabrimala temple opened its doors to devotees for the first time after the Supreme Court allowed entry of women to the shrine. However, protests against the SC order turned violent and no woman got entry to the shrine.

Shifting his focus to the Ram Temple-Babri Masjid dispute, Bhagwat said the construction of the temple is important from the “self-esteem point of view”. “It will also pave the way for an atmosphere of goodwill and oneness in the country,” he said, demanding a law to facilitate the process.

“The temple should have been built by now but political parties are doing politics over it. Ram is our lord and his path still guides us. Babur demolished Ram Mandir to trounce our self-respect. The foundations of the temple have been unearthed, but the case is getting delayed,” the RSS leader said.

During his address, the RSS leader also laid emphasis on India’s relations with neighbouring Pakistan. “India needs to maintain a balance between strengthening the armed forces and propagating peace with its neighbours at the same time,” he said.

Bhagwat said the attacks on borders haven’t stopped despite a new government taking over. “The foreign policy of India has always been peace, tolerance and friendly relations irrespective of the governments,” he said.

“The country cannot be assured about its security without the total self-reliance in the field of defence production even while continuing with the multilateral exchanges wherever necessary. The pace of national efforts in this direction has to be accelerated,” he said.

Alleging that “urban Maoism” was propagating falsehood and spreading hatred in the society, the RSS chief said, “These people (Maoists) take strength from the country’s enemies and always malign the nation wherever they go.”

“To establish an anti-national leadership with blind followers solely committed to them is the Neo-Left doctrine of these Urban Naxals. Their cohorts already established in SM and MSM, intellectual circles&other institutions are associated with such activities,” he added.