Togadia wants to bring law in Parliament for building Ram temple

Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary Pravin Togadia on Monday called for building of RamTemple at Ayodhya by passing a law in Parliament.

"Ashok Singhal was synonymous to Ram Temple Movement. The real 'shrandhanjali' (tribute) to him will be to build RamTemple," Togadia said at the condolence meeting for Singhal held.

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and Governor O P Kohli were also present at the meeting.

"We demand that to build the temple, way of Sardar Patel should be used. For building SomnathTemple, Sardar Patel did not go to talk to people, nor did he wait for court order, but he brought a resolution in the Parliament," Togadia said.

"In the same way, the present Parliament should bring in a law for building of RamTemple," Togadia said. The Ram temple issue is presently before the Supreme Court.

"Following western culture there was an attempt before and after independence to separate religion from social and political life of India contrary to its age old tradition.

However, Singhal's main contribution was he succeeded to bring religion back to social and political life of the country," Togadia said.

Togadia went on to describe Singhal as one of the "tallest" Hindu leaders of the time and listed many movements started by him. Kohli said, "Before Singhal, Hindus were feeling ashamed to assert their identity but after his various agitations now Hindus proudly assert themselves.

The chief minister heaped praise on work carried out by Singhal to revive Hinduism in the country and remembered how he was instrumental in imparting training to thousands of Sangh Parivar workers.

Many saints who had come from various parts of state also offered condolence to Singhal.

Singhal, 89, passed away on November 17 following cardio-vascular failure and septicaemia after he was admitted to a hospital in Gurgaon with complaints of acute breathlessness and pneumonia.