Modi talks swacchhata abhiyan with champions of Ram temple movement – Times of India
Gorakhpur: Despite all the ingredients to spice up the event present at Gorakshnath temple on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi completely stayed away from treading the contentious path of Ram temple talk. Instead, he appreciated seers and saints taking up social issues.Those present as Modi’s audience were champions of Ram temple movement like Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Mahant Suresh Das etc. And the occasion too was installation of the statute of Mahant Awaidhyanath, who himself was not only the champion of the Ram temple movement during his lifetime but was also the chairman of the High-power committee on temple construction.
From the podium, the Prime Minister praised saints for their growing involvement with swachhta abhiyan and toilet missions etc.
However, he did had a brief chat with Rambhadracharya in person. Though it is unclear whether the priest from Chitrakoot take up the temple issue with him. Jagadguru Rambhadracharya had been vocal of getting a grand Ram temple build at the disputed site and even recently had threatened to immolate himself during 78th birthday celebration of Ram Janm Bhumi Nyas chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.
Mahant Nritya Gopal Das in fact had been leading the campaign for the Ram temple movement and has been making efforts to launch another campaign after the death of VHP patron Ashok Singhal.
Unveiling the statute of Mahant Awaidhyanath, the Prime Minister said: “I knew Mahant Avaidyanath even before I was in politics and had thus known about Nath community for a long time. The Gorakhnath temple has lived up to the great traditions for ages,” the PM said added that BJP MP Yogi Adityanath who has now become the temple’s head priest after the death of Mahant Awaidhyanath, was one of the jewels in the crown of the great tradition.
Interestingly, in the 90s, Mahant Awaidhyanath had been at the forefront of the Ram Temple movement, which had been carried forward with equal zest by his disciple and present Mahant Yogi Adityanath.
