VHP to Work for Establishment of 'Ram Rajya' in Society Now: Outfit's Chief

With the struggle for the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya over, the VHP will now work for a Ram Rajya in the society, the outfit's national working president, Alok Kumar, said on Monday.

"The foundation stone for the construction of a grand Ram temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram was laid in 1989. It is after about 31 years that the construction of the temple shall now begin in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5," Kumar told reporters, recalling the struggle for building a temple at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.

The VHP leader said over 492 years of wait for the construction of a grand Ram temple is over now. "It is now clear that the Ram temple will be built. But was the struggle only for a temple or it had some wider objective?" Kumar asked as a precursor to spelling out the future plans of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

"The VHP understands that it (the struggle) is for the dissemination of 'Ramatva'. We all have heard about the Ram Rajya, where there is no poverty, no hunger, no disease. We have to work for this," said Kumar.

"We believe that this massive effort is not only to build one more temple. This campaign is, in fact, for the establishment of 'Ramatva' in the whole world for a Ram Rajya," he emphasized.

"This cannot be achieved only by the government and all sections of the society will have to join this mission," he said. Kumar said 'Ramatva' took Lord Ram to Nishadraj and embrace him, it took Him to Sabri's ashram.

"Similarly, we have to work for the education of SCs and STs, skill training will have to be imparted to them. We want to act as a bridge between them and the government, we have to give them employment-oriented education and healthcare facilities," he said, adding cow products and cow-based agriculture will have to be encouraged.

"The Lord said He does not believe in caste, but believes in love and devotion. We believe in three years during which the temple will be built, an intensive campaign will be launched to demolish the walls of caste and creed across the country," Kumar said, adding the VHP will also work for the dignity of women and the empowerment of the tribal community.