CM Nayab Saini Pays Tribute to Ashok Singhal on Birth Anniversary
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini honoured Ashok Singhal, former VHP international president and Ram Janmabhoomi movement leader, on his birth anniversary, calling him a symbol of devotion to dharma, culture, and the nation.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini posted a tribute to Ashok Singhal on his birth anniversary on 27 September 2026 .
Singhal served as former international president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and died in 2015 .
He was a central organiser of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement , the decades-long campaign to build a temple at Ayodhya .
The Supreme Court of India resolved the Ayodhya title dispute in November 2019 , enabling temple construction.
Saini described Singhal's life as a symbol of 'unwavering dedication, sacrifice, and devotion' to dharma, culture, and the nation.
BJP leaders routinely mark anniversaries of Ram Janmabhoomi figures as part of the party's cultural and political identity.
A movement that reshaped modern India's cultural politics had a face — and on his birth anniversary, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini paused to honour it. On Sunday, 27 September 2026, Saini paid tribute to Ashok Singhal, the late former international president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and a towering organiser of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Posting on X in Hindi, Saini wrote: 'Sri Ram Janmabhoomi andolan ke nayak... shraddhey Ashok Singhal ji ki jayanti par unhe kotishaha naman.' — 'On the birth anniversary of the hero of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi movement... I bow to revered Ashok Singhal ji a crore times.' He described Singhal's life as 'a symbol of unwavering dedication, sacrifice, and devotion towards dharma, culture and the nation,' and said Singhal's efforts to protect Indian culture and Sanatan values 'infused a new consciousness in the public mind.'The Man Behind the Movement
Ashok Singhal, who passed away in 2015, was widely regarded as the chief mobiliser of the decades-long campaign to construct a temple at Ayodhya — held to be the birthplace of Lord Ram in Uttar Pradesh. Under his leadership, the VHP, founded in 1964, built an unprecedented network of religious and cultural organisations that kept the Ayodhya cause alive through political shifts, legal battles, and social upheaval. His ability to draw millions of devotees into a sustained, organised movement made him a defining figure of late-twentieth-century Hindu religious politics in India.A Verdict, a Temple, and a Legacy Claimed
The cause Singhal championed reached its legal resolution in November 2019, when the Supreme Court of India delivered its verdict on the Ayodhya title dispute, clearing the path for temple construction. The Ram Temple at Ayodhya was subsequently inaugurated — a moment the BJP and its ideological allies positioned as the fulfilment of a decades-old promise to crores of devotees. Singhal did not live to see it, but his name remains inseparable from the journey. For the BJP, marking anniversaries of Ram Janmabhoomi figures is not merely ceremonial. It is part of a deliberate, consistent practice — stretching back to the movement's peak years in the 1980s and 1990s — of anchoring the party's cultural identity to these personalities. With the temple now built, these tributes carry an added dimension: they connect the completed project back to those who made it possible, reinforcing the political narrative that this was a promise kept. Saini's closing words struck a note designed to outlast the moment: 'His ideals and life values will guide society for centuries to come.'Point of View
As the party works to cement its narrative of a historic cultural promise fulfilled. For a state-level leader like Saini, aligning with Singhal's legacy is also a signal to the VHP's organisational base, which remains a significant mobiliser of Hindu voters. The tribute underscores how the Ayodhya issue, far from receding as a political theme post-verdict, continues to anchor BJP's ideological messaging. In honouring the journey's architects, the party simultaneously claims ownership of the destination.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ashok Singhal?
Ashok Singhal was the former international president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and a leading organiser of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He passed away in 2015 and is widely credited with mobilising mass support for the Ayodhya temple cause over several decades.
Why is Nayab Singh Saini paying tribute to Ashok Singhal?
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini paid tribute on Ashok Singhal's birth anniversary, honouring his role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and his contribution to preserving Indian culture and Sanatan values.
What was Ashok Singhal's role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement?
Ashok Singhal was the principal organiser who built the VHP's national and international network to sustain the decades-long campaign for a Ram Temple at Ayodhya. His leadership was central to the movement's mass mobilisation through the 1980s and 1990s.
What is the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)?
The Vishva Hindu Parishad is a Hindu nationalist organisation founded in 1964. It played a central role in organising support for the Ayodhya temple cause and remains active in promoting Hindu religious and cultural causes in India and abroad.
What happened to the Ram Janmabhoomi case?
The Supreme Court of India delivered its verdict on the Ayodhya title dispute in November 2019, resolving the long-standing legal battle and clearing the way for the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya.
