PM Narendra Modi to US magazine: ‘Ram Temple culmination of centuries of sacrifice’

The name of Lord Shri Ram is imprinted on India’s national consciousness, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an American magazine in an interview. He said Lord Ram’s life has set the contours of thoughts and values in the country’s “civilization”.

In the conversation with New York-based magazine Newsweek, PM Modi touched upon several vexed topics, including ties with China and Pakistan and the Quad grouping.

PM Modi also talked about the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

“His (Lord Ram) life has set the contours of thoughts and values in our civilization. His name echoes across the length and breadth of our sacred land. Therefore, during the 11-day special ritual I observed, I made a pilgrimage to the places that carry the footprints of Shri Ram. My journey that took me to various corners of the country showed the revered place Shri Ram holds within each of us,” he said.

The Ram Temple was inaugurated by PM Modi in January this year. Thousands of dignitaries from all walks of life attended the grand ceremony. However, the Opposition skipped the ceremony despite being invited, claiming the BJP had been trying to reap political dividends using the temple event.

PM Modi told the magazine that the Ram Temple was a culmination of centuries of perseverance and sacrifice.

“The return of Shri Ram to his birthplace marked a historic moment of unity for the nation. It was a culmination of centuries of perseverance and sacrifice. When I was asked to be part of the ceremony, I knew I would be representing the 1.4 billion people of the country, who have waited patiently for centuries to witness Ram Lalla’s return,” he said.

In 2019, the Supreme Court ended the decades-long dispute between Hindus and Muslims, ruling that the Ram Temple should be built on the disputed piece of land. It directed the authorities to provide a separate plot of land for the construction of a mosque in Ayodhya.

“During the 11 days leading up to this auspicious event, I carried with me the aspirations of countless devotees, eagerly anticipating this day. The ceremony itself brought the nation together into a celebration, akin to a second Diwali. Every home was illuminated by the light of Ram Jyoti. I see it as a divine blessing that I could experience the consecration ceremony as a representative of 1.4 billion Indians,” PM Modi added.

PM Modi on China

PM Modi said that peaceful relations between India and China are important for the entire world. He also said that the border situation should be resolved to put behind the abnormality in “our bilateral interactions”.

“It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us. Stable and peaceful relations between India and China are important for not just our two countries but the entire region and world,” he said.