"Lord Ram gave us courage to fight for this Temple" says Sadhvi Rithambara

Ayodhya: As devotees await the Pran Pratishta of the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Temple on January 22 there is a sense of joy amongst them of being witness to history. For one person this occasion is special, Sadhvi Rithambara who was one of the key figures during the Ram Janambhoomi movement in the 90s.
Today Sadhvi Rithambara says the Temple being built is an achievement of the courage of the Hindu Community.
Speaking on the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's temple, she stated, "The credit goes to Lord Ram himself. He gave us the courage and capability to fight for it. Fortunate are those who were involved in the movement. It is huge when the Lord chooses people himself. I am not able to express the feeling in words."
"This achievement is a result of the courage shown by the Hindu community. This is the result of the martyrdom of many. This is the result of the Hindus standing up to all the adversities. What is questionable is that we have struggled for over 500 years in order to establish our god in his own abode. However, the success we have achieved today is beyond words. Not only is the Ram Temple being built, but it is also the re-establishment of our pride," she added.
Reacting to the hue and cry by the opposition party leaders over the grand ceremony, Rithambara said, "Politicians are bound to do politics over issues. But when it comes to God, we should think past politics. It is not about a single party. This is the victory of the pride of India. As Pran Pratishtha Day is around the corner, we should celebrate it."
The opposition leaders have been questioning the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the timing of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony, given the Lok Sabha polls scheduled to be held later this year.
Earlier, the Congress bigwigs--Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary--rejected the Ayodhya invitation, calling it a "BJP/RSS" event.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have asserted that they would visit the Ayodhya temple once the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony is over and the construction is complete.
Sadhvi Rithambara also reacted to Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Shivpal Singh Yadav's remarks that the 1990 firing incident took place in order to 'protect the constitution', spiritual leader Sadhvi Rithambara hit out at the party, stating that the firing incident was a part of their 'appeasement politics'.
Earlier on Thursday, ahead of the grand 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Yadav justified the police firing on Kar Sevaks, marching towards Ayodhya in 1990, saying that the then-Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, protected the constitution by opening fire at them.
Speaking to ANI, Sadhvi Rithambara said, "They were shot at because they were Hindus. It did not happen to protect the constitution. Killing unarmed and innocent people who were immersed in devotion to Lord Ram was not for protecting the constitution. It was done as a part of their 'appeasement politics' and an attempt to please a few people."
In the 1990s, when the Ram Janmabhoomi movement led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Lal Krishna Advani was at its peak, the 'Kar Sevaks' were marching towards Ayodhya.
The police allege that the mob of the 'Kar Sevaks' got violent, and in order to curb them, they had to open fire at them at the instructions of then-CM Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Several 'Kar Sevaks' were killed in an open firing by the police, while several others were killed in the stampede, which broke out post firing.
Meanwhile, ahead of the 'Pran Prathistha' on January 22 the city of Ayodhya wears a festive look and is decked up with vibrant petals as it awaits the return of Lord Ram after an exile spanning 500 years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals to mark the 'Pran Pratishtha' while a team of priests, led by Lakshmikant Dixit, will lead the main rituals. Several celebrities and other top dignitaries have been invited to the ceremony.