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Journalism of Courage
Swami Govind Dev Giri, treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Khestra Trust, said dialogue is possible to resolve the issue of Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi as well as that of the Krishna Janmabhoomi. While speaking to The Indian Express on the sidelines of the Geeta Bhakti Amrit Mahotsav being organised in Alandi, he termed the consecration of the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya as a turning point in Indian history.
“In view of the current environment as well as the raised awareness of the present day, I feel dialogue is possible… maybe it would be difficult but certainly not impossible,” he said.
Swami Govind Dev Giri said the ordinary person has no problem with reconstruction of temples in these places. “The crux of the matter is that the common man — Hindu or Muslim — also feels that these temples should be re-built,” he said.
Terming the razed temples as signs of the intruders who invaded India, he said the movement to reclaim the temples was necessary to erase them. “When I was in Kashi for five years, I had darshan of Lord Vishwanath daily. The huge Nandi, which faces the Gyanvapi, almost made me question why we have to fight to reclaim the razed temples. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and others who spearheaded the movement to reclaim the Ram Janmabhoomi did so to highlight how these were signs of intruders of our motherland. This is not a matter of Hindu or Muslim,” he said.
The monk, who was present when the Ayodhya temple was consecrated by PM Narendra Modi, said the whole temple complex of Ayodhya would be completely ready in the next 2-3 years. Geeta Pariwar, an organisation founded by Swami Govind Dev Giri, has organised a week-long programmme to celebrate 75 years of the organisation.
