Ample time to build Ram Temple: RSS

• All citizens of the country are Hindus: RSS
• BJP chief Shah also attended the meet

Lucknow: RSS said government has ample time till 2019 to act on the issue of construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"The government has its own priority and it will work according to it...It has ample time till 2019," RSS's Joint General-Secretary, Dattatreya Hosabale, said on the first day of RSS Akhil Bhartiya Karyakari madal meet here.

"Ram Temple is in agenda of the country, its in national interest. We had been supporting VHP and religious leaders on the issue of construction of Ram temple," Hosabale said.

When pointed that BJP had been stating that if it was voted to power with full majority at the centre, it would pave the way for construction of Ram temple through a legislation and asked whether RSS would now demand the same, Hosabale said, "The issue of Ram temple was already there in the election manifesto."

When asked about the threat of terrorist organisations including Al-Qaeda and ISIS, he said, "In the meet, national security issues will be discussed," but did not elaborate.

On a question related to the discussion about "Love Jihad", Hosabale said that they had discussed it a lot in the past 10 years.

Claiming that RSS workers had actively participated in relief and rescue operations in the natural calamities in Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya, Hosabale said that an outline of rehabilitation work to be carried out in these areas would be discussed in the meet.

RSS termed all the citizens of the country as Hindus.

"In the eyes of RSS all those living in India are Hindus. RSS does not discriminate on the basis of caste and religion," All India Publicity In-Charge of RSS, Manmohan Vaidya said.

BJP chief Amit Shah attended the meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh or RSS which could discuss among other things, how the ruling party will handle issues that are a priority for its ideological mentor.