‘Pratishtha Dwadashi’ started restoration of national selfhood: RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat

“The strife for Ram Janma Bhoomi was not a movement, it was a Yajna. It was not started to oppose someone, or to cause nuisance. The powers that never wanted this to succeed created this long battle filled with struggles for their vested interests. Temples were destroyed to crush the Sva (selfhood) of Bharat, to not raise its head. Worshipping devi#devatas was not that Sva, but the ideals, those values they present are Bharatiya, we are known for that,” said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat. He was speaking at the Devi Ahilya National Awards Function organised by Shri Ahilyotsava Samiti held in Indore on January 13, 2025. Chairman of the organising committee and former Lok Sabha Speaker Smt Sumitra Mahajan was present on the occasion.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi (RJB) Teerthkshetra National General Secretary Champat Rai was presented with the Ahilyabai Holkar National Award. He dedicated this award to the numerous known unknown karsevaks for their supreme sacrifice during the Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yajna.

On the occasion, while reminding the way Paush Shukla Dwadashi has attained a new nomenclature as Pratishtha Dwadashi, Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat emphasised that the Bharat that suffered colonisation for centuries actualised dignified freedom on ‘Pratishtha Dwadashi’. While elaborating on this, he said Bharat became independent on 15th August, so we got political independence. The power of determining our fate came in our hands. We also adopted a constitution with the specific vision of Bharat’s Sva,but it was not followed according to that spirit.

He said that the Sva which is established in the essential freedom, has been found in written form in the Constitution, but we have not established our mind on its solid foundation. He asked what our self is, are Ram, Krishna Shiva only gods and goddesses or are they only for those who worship them. He asserted that it is not so and recited Lohia ji’s words, Ram connects Bharat from North to South, Krishna from East to West, and Shiva in each and every molecule. He elucidated this by saying “So every person in his materialistic life sees Ram as ideal; Miserable or content, howsoever life that we have been given, leading it with dispassion like Krishna; and for whom to live this life? Assimilating poison from all stratas and attain Amarattva like Shiva. This is the nature, the Sva of Bharat.”

While accepting the prestigious award, the General Secretary of the Teerthakshetra Nayas recounted the history and struggle of the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement. He reminded that on March 6, 1983, in a Hindu Sammelan organised at Muzaffar Nagar of Uttar Pradesh, Congress MLA from Moradabad Dau Dayal Khanna reminded that time has come to liberate Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi. This triggered the entire movement in alignment with the Sadhus and seers. It was called as the Ram Janmabhoomi Yajna and not andolan/ movement. Entire nation was sensitised of this historic travesty through the Yajna. He recalled the historic role by Prof B R Grover, Prof Harsh Narayan to Sr Adv Parasharan everyone played their role in the Yajna. He candidly said that this award is dedicated to those unsung soldiers who fought those seventy five battles for the liberation of Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.