At the Dharma Sabha in Ayodhya on Sunday. (Photo by Vishal Srivastav) At the Dharma Sabha in Ayodhya on Sunday. (Photo by Vishal Srivastav)

Amit Pratap, a 26-year-old MBA student from Jaunpur, travelled nearly 160 km by bus to attend the VHP’s Dharma Sabha in Ayodhya on Sunday. He said if asked to choose between Ram temple and a job, he will prefer to work for the Ram Janmabhoomi movement than build a career in business management.

The Sangh Parivar’s apparent attempt to garner support of youth on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue through the Dharma Sabha appeared to be largely successful with a sizeable number of youngsters in the gathering.

“Dharma protects those who uphold or protect dharma. I am a Hindu and for the protection of Hindu dharma, building of Ram temple in Ayodhya is essential. To achieve that goal, Hindus have to show strength before the judiciary and the government. For that purpose, I have come here,” said Amit as he listened to the speeches of sants and noted down what he liked in a pocket diary.

Amit said his father ran a business of construction material, earning enough for the family.

“After completing MBA next year, I may look for a job if my family insists on that. But if a moment comes when I have to decide between a movement for Ram temple and a job, I will prefer the former. It is shameful for us that Ram’s temple is not at his birthplace,” Amit said.

Among others who attended the meet were two “bal swayamsevaks” — Amit Singh and Abhay Kumar — from Fatehpur. The two 16-year-olds have the same plans. The class XI students had undergone the RSS’s Initial Training Camp this year.

“Our zila pracharak ji told us that Dharma Sabha is being held in Ayodhya for Ram temple. We have come with nearly 200 people in three buses that the RSS and VHP members arranged,” Amit Singh said.

When asked about his future plans, he said, “I want to dedicate my life to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. I will join the RSS formally for this cause after completing graduation and will do whatever the RSS asks me to. Ram temple is my priority because by doing a job, I will be earning bread only for my family, but development of Ram temple will make the entire society prosperous and create employment for more people in Ayodhya.”

Abhay has the same plan. He said the Dharma Sabha gathering indicated that “something positive” was going to happen. “All this is being done to mount pressure on the Supreme Court to hear the matter early. The court will have to take note of our sentiments,” he said.

Saurabh Kumar, a 19-year-old BA student from Saket College in Ayodhya, claimed he has already sought permission from his parents and four elder brothers to dedicate his life for the Ram temple cause. “Sabse pehle bhagwan Ram, baaki sab baad me (Lord Ram is the priority). Family can survive because my brothers will work… I will go to Delhi on December 9 (for another Dharma Sabha),” he said.

One of his friends, Shubham Gupta, who is a BSc student, said he wanted to become a teacher. “I will do the job. In teaching profession, I can give time for social issues such as the Ram temple movement,” he said.

Rambali Diwakar, 24, of Kaushambi, too, has decided to join the Sangh Parivar and work for its programmes. “I failed in Class X. I am not going to get any good job. It is better to work for Lord Ram because He runs the universe. God will take care of me and my family.”

Sources said the Sangh Parivar wanted maximum participation of youths in the Dharma Sabha to make the new generation aware of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

Addressing the Dharma Sabha, RSS senior functionary Krishna Gopal said the youth can go to any extent on the temple issue.

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