Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has stated that India attained its "true independence" on the day of the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He proposed that this day be celebrated as "Pratishtha Dwadashi," reflecting its significance in India's cultural and spiritual history.
Speaking on Monday, Bhagwat remarked, ?After India gained political independence from the British on August 15, 1947, a written Constitution was drafted in alignment with the vision emerging from the nation's self-identity. However, this document was not implemented in the spirit of that vision.? He argued that the true essence of India's independence was realized only on the consecration day of the Ram temple.
The RSS chief emphasized that "Pratishtha Dwadashi" should be marked annually as a symbol of the nation's reawakening. He described Bharat as having endured centuries of "parachakra" (foreign dominance), and the temple's consecration signified the country's liberation from such influences.
Bhagwat shared these views while presenting the ?National Devi Ahilya Award? to Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, in Indore. He highlighted that the Ram temple movement was not meant to oppose anyone but to revive Bharat's "self" (swa) and enable the nation to stand firmly on its principles while guiding the world.
The consecration of the Ram temple, according to the Hindu calendar, occurred on Dwadashi of 'Shukla Paksha' in the Paush month of 2024, corresponding to January 22, 2024, on the Gregorian calendar. This year, the date fell on January 11.
