By Navneet Mishra

New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS): The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has once again praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the much-awaited construction of the Ram temple is to start in Ayodhya from August 5.

The recent statement by RSS General Secretary, Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi shows that the Sangh Parivar is very happy to have one more item on its agenda fulfilled. Be it Article 370, the CAA, or the lockdown to ward off coronavirus, and now the 'Bhoomi Poojan' for the Ram temple, the RSS has been heaping praises on the leadership of Modi for one achievement after another. This is the fourth time in a year that RSS has heaped praises on Modi.

Joshi, while speaking on the Ram temple issue at the Ashok Singhal Foundation's event on Saturday, said: "We are all fortunate that today the country has got such a political leadership, who gives us confidence that India will once again become the world leader and will be a source of inspiration for the entire world."

A senior official of RSS affiliate told IANS, "For the first time in the country, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, there is a government that is not only favourable to the RSS but is also strong. As the government is in the majority, several demands pending for years have been met. All the problems are now coming to an end. It was due to the bold decision by Prime Minister Modi that Article 370 could be removed from Jammu and Kashmir. That historic day is August 5, 2019. The demand to abrogate Article 370 was made during the time of the Jan Sangh. Now another age-old aspiration is going to be fulfilled -- the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Naturally, the Sangh Parivar is very happy."

When the Modi government removed Articles 370 and 35A which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, exactly a year ago on August 5, 2019, the Sangh leaders showered praises on the government. The credit for this goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the RSS leaders said.

At the same time, on December 12, 2019, Joshi issued a statement and greeted Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah after the Citizenship Amendment Act was passed in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. He had said, "We heartily congratulate the Central Government and especially the Prime Minister and the Home Minister for this bold step, thanking them."

The third time the RSS praised the Modi government was when the coronavirus started spreading in the country. Then RSS' Dattatreya Hosabale said in a video message in May that Prime Minister Modi took tough decision like timely lockdown which slowed the pace of the epidemic.

Now the RSS has praised Prime Minister Modi again in the same gestures by pointing out that the country is fortunate to have such a political leadership that paved the way for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Joshi and a host of other RSS leaders are expected to attend the 'Bhoomi Poojan' (groundbreaking ceremony) in Ayodhya on August 5.