CM Bhupendra Patel pays tribute to Ashok Singhal on his birth anniversary
Synopsis
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel honoured Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal on his birth anniversary, calling him the 'hero of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement' and crediting his selfless nationalist ideals as an enduring source of inspiration for nation-building.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel posted a tribute to Ashok Singhal on his birth anniversary on 27 September 2026 .
Singhal, who died in 2015 , was a long-time Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader and the principal organiser of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement from the late 1980s .
CM Patel described Singhal as 'lifelong dedicated to protecting the eternal values of Indian culture and Sanatana Dharma .' The Ram Janmabhoomi movement Singhal led culminated in the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict and the consecration of the Ram Mandir in January 2024 .
BJP leaders routinely mark birth anniversaries of VHP and RSS figures linked to the Ayodhya campaign as part of a consistent commemorative pattern.
A life devoted entirely to the cause of Sanatana Dharma and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was remembered on Sunday morning as Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel offered his tribute to Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal on the occasion of Singhal's birth anniversary.
Posting in Gujarati on Sunday, 27 September 2026, CM Patel wrote: 'Bharatiya sanskriti ane Sanatan Dharmana shashvat mulyone rakshan mate aajivan samarpit rehnar' — honouring Singhal as one who remained lifelong dedicated to protecting the eternal values of Indian culture and Sanatana Dharma. He described Singhal as the 'hero of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement' and expressed that his selfless, sacrifice-filled life and nationalist ideals 'will always provide us energy on the path of nation-building.'
Who was Ashok Singhal and why does he still loom large
Ashok Singhal, who passed away in 2015, was one of the most prominent faces of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and the chief architect of the decades-long Ram Janmabhoomi agitation. From the late 1980s onward, he marshalled mass mobilisation around the demand for a Ram temple at Ayodhya, a campaign that transformed the political and social landscape of independent India.
The movement he helped lead ultimately concluded with the Supreme Court's landmark verdict in 2019 clearing the way for temple construction, and the consecration of the Ram Mandir followed in January 2024. For the BJP and affiliated Hindu organisations, Singhal is remembered as a figure whose perseverance across turbulent decades made that moment possible.
BJP's consistent calendar of Ayodhya-linked commemorations
BJP leaders at both state and national levels have made a consistent practice of marking birth and death anniversaries of VHP and RSS figures associated with the Ayodhya campaign. Gujarat, where CM Patel leads a government with a strong ideological alignment to these roots, regularly participates in this commemorative calendar. Sunday's post fits squarely within that broader pattern — an institutional act of remembrance that also reinforces the party's ideological continuity with the temple movement.
For the millions of Hindus for whom Singhal embodied decades of faith and struggle, the Chief Minister's tribute is a reminder that the men who built the movement are not allowed to fade quietly into history — they are actively woven into the BJP's ongoing narrative of cultural and national resurgence.
Point of View
State-level BJP governments reinforce ideological continuity with the Hindutva movement that propelled the party to dominance. The tribute also signals to Gujarat's core voter base that the cultural project underpinning the temple movement remains central to the party's identity. In a state where the BJP has governed uninterrupted for three decades, these commemorations function as both homage and political branding.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ashok Singhal?
Ashok Singhal was a long-time Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader and the primary organiser of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the decades-long campaign demanding construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya. He passed away in 2015.
Why is Ashok Singhal's birth anniversary significant for the BJP?
Singhal is regarded by BJP and VHP circles as a central figure whose mobilisation efforts from the late 1980s onward drove the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, which eventually led to the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict and the Ram Mandir's consecration in 2024. BJP leaders mark his anniversary as part of honouring the movement's architects.
What did Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel say about Ashok Singhal?
CM Patel called Singhal the 'hero of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement' and praised his selfless, sacrifice-filled life, saying Singhal's nationalist ideals would always provide energy on the path of nation-building.
What was the Ram Janmabhoomi movement?
The Ram Janmabhoomi movement was a campaign launched by Hindu organisations in the 1980s seeking the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya on a site they believe to be the birthplace of Lord Ram. It culminated in the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict awarding the land for temple construction, and the Ram Mandir was consecrated in January 2024.
