Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti (ABSS), an umbrella organisation of over 3000 Hindu saints from 127 sects on Sunday appealed their followers and other Hindus to ensure that the Narendra Modi government returns to power in 2019. The sadhus after rigorous deliberations also passed a resolution demanding the Union government to bring an ordinance or a law to build the Ram Mandir.
The Sadhus from across the country had come together at the Delhi’s Talkatora stadium to discuss the future course of action to be pursued following the Supreme Court’s decision to postpone the hearing of the Ram Mandir case. The Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti on Sunday asked the people to bring back Narendra Modi government in the upcoming 2019 elections. People should vote for those who have faith in “Gau, Ganga, Geeta, Gayatri and Govind”, they said.
The Delhi conclave deliberated on a number of issues, including construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, a parliamentary legislation for cow protection, cleaning of the Ganga river. “We direct the government to either bring in a law or an ordinance (for the construction of the Ram temple). There will be no compromise on this,” Ramanandacharya Hansdevacharya, the patron of the organisation, said in his concluding remarks at the conclave.
The Sants expressed their confidence in the Narendra Modi government. Ramanandacharya Hansdevacharya said that only BJP government can meet our expectations. “Apna desh bhi bachao, apni sanskriti bhi bachao, aur phir se iss Bharat ke andar yahi sarkar ko 2019 me wapas lao (Save the country and its culture, bring back this government in 2019)”, he said.
He further said that if Hindus want to protect their lives, temples and mutts, daughters and sisters, culture and tradition, then Narendra Modi government must be brought back. Hansdevacharya spoke about how sants were hurt with the deliberate obstruction caused against the building of the Ram temple at Ayodhya but also expressed satisfaction with the central government’s work related to the nation, religion, culture, national security, and national pride.
The ABSS statement also said that NOTA is an insult to democracy, and urged everyone to positively vote for the leader of their choice.
Sant Govindeo Giri of Pune said that “certain forces” were trying to destabilise the Modi government, and that a “conspiracy” against the government was being done in Madhya Pradesh. The gathering called for the creation of a new “Teerthan Ministry” to promote pilgrimages, and requested the government not turn these pilgrimage centres into tourism destinations.
The ‘Dharmadesh’ conclave also discussed issues like illegal immigration of the Rohingya Muslims and asked the government to deport them. The issues like the Uniform Civil Code and National Population Policy to control the “imbalance” were also discussed.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of Art of Living spoke about three possible ways forward on the issue of the Ram temple. He said that it can be solved through dialogue or by an appeal to the Supreme Court seeking an early verdict, and a third option by making a request to the central government.
The Sant Samiti has also announced three more “dharma sabhas” to be held in Ayodhya, Nagpur, and Bengaluru on November 25. The Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti is planning to hold a large congregation of sadhus in Delhi on December 9. It is planning to organise 500 more such meetings from December 18 across the country.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is also pushing for early construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. Recently, RSS said that it will take up another agitation similar to the one in 1992 “if needed” in order to ensure the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat at his annual Vijayadashami celebration speech had urged the Narendra Modi-led BJP government of bringing in a law to build a Ram Mandir at the disputed land in Ayodhya.
The Supreme Court on October 29th adjourned hearings in the Ayodhya dispute until January next year. The Supreme Court has also said that it will decide in January whether the case should be heard in February, March, April or after that.
