BJP President Amit Shah hopes Ram temple agitation will result in 'victory for culture'

BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday expressed the hope that the movement for building Ram temple in Ayodhya will result in "victory for culture", saying people's sentiments always win in democracy.

His remarks at a book release event came as Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat reiterated his call for constructing the temple at the earliest, saying "justice" needed to be given to society quickly.

Shah described the Ram Janambhoomi movement as the biggest agitation in India since independence, touching all sections of the society. 

He said he would not speak much on the issue due to the timing- an apparent reference to the ongoing Supreme Court hearings on the matter.

People's agitation had been going since the temple was demolished in Ayodhya over six centuries ago, and it will continue till the victory for culture is achieved, he said.

"People's sentiments always win in democracy, and I have faith that this agitation will go in a similar direction," he said.

Making a reference to decades-old movement in support of temple at what Hindus believe to be the birth place of Lord Ram, Bhagwat said denying truth and justice, and promoting untruth and injustice causes violence.

People's devotion that existed for centuries was ignored, he said, adding it amounted to inviting trouble.

Bhagwat had pitched for building the temple at the earliest.

He had said that construction of a temple will end one of the reasons for discord between communities in the societies.

"We have to give justice quickly. It should not be delayed. The society is supreme," he said.

Speaking at the release of two Hindi books- Ayodhya ka chashmadeed (Eyewitness to Ayodhya) and Yuddh me Ayodhya (Ayodhya in war)-  written by Hemant Sharma, a senior journalist, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said it would be satisfying if followers of all religions would work together for building a grand Ram temple.

On the last day of a three-day RSS conclave, Bhagwat had strongly pitched for construction of a Ram temple "at the earliest", asserting that it will end tension between Hindus and Muslims.

He had also sought to address the unease of minorities, especially Muslims, with parts of a book, Bunch of Thoughts, written by the organisation's second chief M S Golwalkar.

Many of Gowalkar's statements had a context of time and circumstances, he had said.

"His enduring thoughts are in Guruji's Vision and Mission, from which all the remarks with temporary context have been removed. And Sangh is not dogmatic organisation. As time changes and so do out thoughts," he had said.