Ram temple symbol of peace, unity and harmony: Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha

The Ram Janmabhoomi movement unified the entire country, Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal said on Friday as he described January 22 as a "historic" day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended the second exile of Lord Ram with the consecration ceremony at the temple in Ayodhya.

Replying to a short duration discussion in the House on the construction of historic Shri Ram Temple and Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ramlalla, Goyal said the Ram temple in Ayodhya is a symbol of peace, unity and harmony.

He also highlighted Modi's resolve and relentless efforts in building the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The prime minister has fulfilled his guarantee and promise to the nation, Goyal said, adding that the temple is equally a symbol of India's progress (vikas) and heritage (virasat).

At the same time, the construction of the temple paves the way for the country's economic growth by boosting tourism on a large scale, he said.

"Since the Pran Pratishtha, we saw that in a matter of days, lakhs of devotees are visiting Ayodhya daily for a glimpse of Lord Ram. If we see the statistics of the past two years...from 2022 till now...when people were enthused about visiting Ayodhya...2.40 crore devotees visited the city. It shows the level of excitement in the country around it. Since Pran Pratishtha on January 22, 2024, about 20 lakh devotees have visited Ayodhya," he said.

Ayodhya is emerging as a new smart city with upgraded railway station and airport, he sad.

The Ram Janmabhoomi movement has unified the entire country, he said, adding people from all over India have associated themselves with it.

Drawing attention to the prime minister's extraordinary contribution to the Ram Mandir movement, Goyal recalled that Modi had taken and fulfilled his pledge that a temple will be built at the birthplace of Lord Ram.

Modi played an active role in the Ram Mandir movement over the years, right from creating awareness and mobilising public support with speeches and door-to-door campaigns, he noted.

Modi was also instrumental in organising L K Advani's 'rath yatra' from Somnath to Ayodhya, Goyal said.

"Seeing Lord Ram in a tent made him so emotional that he vowed to return to Ayodhya only after the construction of the temple," he said.

"We all consider January 22 as a historic day when PM inaugurated the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, a symbol of peace, unity and harmony, and in a manner he ended the second exile of Lord Ram," he said, adding that 140 crore Indians celebrated that day in one voice.