WATCH | Copy of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir in Delhi's Pacific Mall

Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao laid foundations for Ram temple: Swamy

As the foundation stone for the Ram Mandir is laid, the question of what a Ram Rajya will imply for the country has constantly been raised. According to BJP MP and Economist Dr Subramanian Swamy, it implies the "implementation of the Indian Constitution, in a nutshell."  Speaking during The New Indian Express' e-expressions conducted along with the India Policy Foundation, Swamy said, "This is true because all the concepts of Ram and what he propagated is there in the Directive Principles and the Fundamental Rights and in the advocacy of language in the Constitution." Swamy was in conversation with TNIE Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla, Prof Kapil Kapoor, Chairman, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies and Dr Kuldeep Ratnoo, Director, India Policy Foundation.  Upon being asked if the people who wrote the Constitution of India were 'Ram Bhakts', Swamy insisted vehemently, "Absolutely, Ambedkar was one of the finest. Nehru made him bitter and towards the end of his life, he became very harsh. But if you see his seminar papers at Columbia University in 1915 and subsequently his books, he is perhaps the most articulate spokesman for Hindutva I can think of. I have read every one of those books and that's why I revere him." When Prabhu Chawla asked if he had been invited to the laying of the foundation stone at Ayodhya, he was quick to say, "No."  He explained, "If I would have gone there, all the sadhus would have got up and cheered me and that would have had a bad effect on those on the stage." Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to preside over the Bhoomi Puja on Wednesday.  When asked about whether the invite should have been extended across party lines in a bid to end the politics around Ram, Swamy said, "Anti-Ram sections have been in power for all these years and now they have lost due to Ram. The present generation of Congress leaders don't understand that it was begun by Rajiv Gandhi when he showed the Ramayan serial on Doordarshan against the total objection of his party. I was there, I was his good friend and I knew how much difficulty he had. And he allowed the VHP to plant their foundation and gave a promise that if he came back to power he would rebuild the (Ram) Temple." He added, "There was no politics of Ram, ever. We just wanted the temple built." 

WATCH | PM Modi lays foundation stone for Ram Temple in Ayodhya

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