However, I didn’t have a strong relationship with Shri Ashok Singhal Ji but being a regional apostle in Nagpur, I used to go to various organizational camps. I saw him sitting at a conference in Bangalore. He was provided with VHP responsibilities. His capacity and union skills kept on augmenting since he joined VHP. Once I was sent to England and Ashok Ji was there too. The BBC interviewed him. At that very moment, Ashok Ji said, “I am not here to answer you but to put my views forward.” Indeed, he gave a huge message to the whole world within half an hour. Ashok Ji's passing has caused a great loss. He had divine power. On Nov 10, Ashok Ji summoned me to the hospital and that very moment I realized that he hadn’t got much time. We talked for about an hour in which Ashok Ji took 40 minutes. He spoke of ‘Rama Janambhoomi’ and conservation of Vedas. Dr.Murlidhar well said that though we can’t be Sun but at least being a lamp, we can remove the darkness. We must respect all religions, rituals, and cultures. We should help the destitute people and this is what Ashok Ji asked for during his last days. Ashok Ji sang many songs for the Mother Nation. Seeing him, a gentleman used to smile but rascals used to get scared. Ashok Ji was soft, immaculate and a symbol of love and kindness. For him, being within the limit is a true ‘Dharma’. He used to say, “Everything is in the hands of God and I am just a medium. Today, his resolutions have become ours. We must follow them.
Ashok Ji was a selfless Volunteer, an apostle, a patriot, and a Sanatan warrior. He spent his whole life in the protection of cows, Ganges, Vedas, and the language ‘Sanskrit’. I bow to this great man and a perfect visionary.
“I salute him. His death is a big loss. I pray for his lamenting followers and disciples in this sorrowful time. He has always supported the people of Tibet. In 2001, when I went to the “Kumbh Mela”, I could feel the presence of some divine energy. At his home also, his personality was like a deity”
I got his love, affection, and guidance for being attached to the association for 35 years. It’s a matter of honor for me. He wanted to promote the ‘Vedas’ and wished to build a temple of the first writer of Poetic Ramayana, Swami Valmiki Ji. It’s my honor that he gave me permission to write his biography and let us celebrate his historical birthday. Moreover, he adopted and accepted me as his son.
“The leader of Hinduism and the representative of ‘Vedas’, Shri Ashok Singhal Ji, is a worthy character of devotion. He was a great man who raised his voice for peace.”
“Today is a very sorrowful day for India. Shri Ashok Singhal Ji was a saint who sacrificed everything for India. He served for ‘Rama Mandir’ till his last breath. He will always remain in our hearts. He was a strong supporter of the Green Revolution. His inspirations will always keep us zealous for the welfare of India and ‘Rama Mandir’.”
“When Ashok Ji first came to Ayodhya, he first visited SugreevKila. Ashok Ji's passing was a great loss to the Hindu society. The mission that he started must be accomplished.”
It’s so sad that the great man that brought us up, has gone now. Ashok Ji belonged to the Sanatan tradition. He symbolized the whole organization and Association. When he used to speak, it used to sound like Mother Nature herself is entering in his voice, showing her pain and tribulations. Whenever he got injured in the protest, he kept on walking forward. His last resolution and wish was the ‘Rama temple’ construction.
Ashok Ji's life was full of spirituality and he had a divine element on his face. Because of his excellent behavior, he had been a guide and leader of the Hindu Society. He was always full of confidence and self-respect. He started the movement for the dignity of the Hinduism and made it accomplished.
“Some witnesses the history and some create it. Ashok Ji was the creator of history. With Shri Ashok Singhal Ji, an era passed away. We all have to fulfill his resolution to pay him homage in a true manner”.
Ashok Ji's death has caused a great loss. He was an incredible man. He was very lively and polite. Bringing all the ‘Acharyas’ of different communities on a single platform proves his strength and capacity. He also had great self-respect. He left no stones unturned in promoting ‘Gita’, protecting cows and constructing the Rama temple. While protesting against the Hindu temple tribunal, he made the honesty raised like the principle. The protection of Hinduism and its culture would be a true tribute to Shri Ashok Singhal Ji.
“Ashok Singhal Ji was a true patriot. He gave the Jhandewalan temple a true structure. He has always lived his life like a Karma Yogi. He did the solid work to build a temple. Today, this temple is one of the prestigious temples of India.”
Ashok Ji was my teacher. I have been with him for the past 8 years. On one side, Swami Vivekanandji gave the Indian Culture a unique recognition and on the other side, Shri Singhal Ji spread Hinduism all over the world through the medium of ‘Rama JanamBhumi’. Ashok Ji has the ideology that if one saint adopts one village at a time then there will be no poverty and ignorance in this country. There was a supreme element present in Ashok Ji's life. There has been no sign of disappointment. His life was spiritual.
Whatever Ashok Ji did for the Hindu society is incredible. His role started in 1979 as a VHP chairperson and after that, he continued to guide us. In 2005, the responsibility given to Shri Singhal Ji was fulfilled well. Ashok Ji served this nation till his last breath by observing the celibacy and serving Mother India throughout his whole life. His idol was Swami Vivekanandji. He considered Dr. B.R Ambedkar as the equanimity idol. Indeed, Shri Ashok Singhal Ji led an excellent life way better than even our Sadhus and saints.
When I was at Prayag University, our guide was Shri Rajju. Shri Rajju used to make Ashok Ji sing songs for the Association. Ashok Ji had a good flare in singing since his teenage. He used to take part in the protests with the promptness and diligence. He wanted the whole world spiritual. Indeed, only India can spread the spirit of world harmony. Lord Rama lives in our hearts and so, a human is the cause of the welfare of another human being.
By spreading unity, brotherhood and understanding the power, history, culture, and honor, India has always been and will always be a ‘Vishwaguru’. Ashok Ji created this spirit. Only Ashok Ji could show this much courage. Doubtful people can never be successful in life. He never discriminated among the Vedas, Cows, Ganges, and Indian Culture. The people with an excellent demeanor like Shri Ashok Singhal Ji are born once in a Blue Moon. Today, there is a need and time to fill the gap of different ideologies.
The great leader of Hinduism, the commander of the ‘Rama Mandir’ movement and the one who made VHP approachable to every house and villages, Shri Ashok Singhal Ji has been an inspiration for the Hindu Society. The banishment of the religious beliefs from the Indian policies was being planned because of the Western influence but Ashok Ji again established religious beliefs (Dharma). Ashok Ji attended the mass banquet which was held at the house of Kashi’s King ‘Dome’, which is incredible in itself. 5 years ago, he directed all of us towards the fulfillment of the resolution of the cows-protection and the holy Ganges conservation. He never let the honor of Hinduism go down. I give my tribute to such a personality with all of my heart.
“It has been an honor for me to get the love and affection of Shri Ashok Ji from 1961 till his last breath.” Shri Singhal Ji was a great man. He had recognized his character while he was alive. There is a context in “Ramcharitmanas”, according to which, Dashrathji was anxious to attend Shri Rama’s coronation but it couldn’t happen as he passed away. After Shri Rama’s victory over Ravana, Dashrathji came to attend the coronation in the soul form. Similarly, Shri Singhal Ji will always remain in our hearts and when the mission of “Shri Ram Mandir” will get accomplished, he will come to the Earth to witness it.
On Nov 18, someone asked, what was unique in Shri Ashok Singhal Ji ? I replied, he was a gentleman and an extraordinary man with a lot of uniqueness and specialty. Whatever was said at the “Nigam Bodh Ghat” was enough to introduce the personality of Shri Singhal Ji. All the gatherings that were happening in the memory of Shri Ashok Singhal Ji and on the National and International levels, prove it. A few days before, he was among us and now he is not. I saw him in various movements from time to time. In 1985, when I was a student, Shri Shastri’s Govt. was in force. The Govt. wanted to discard the word ‘Hindu’ from ‘Banaras Hindu University’. Many questions were raised in ‘Lok Sabha’. There was a huge protest in Kashi. As a result, the Govt. surrendered before Shri Ashok Singhal Ji.
On Dec 29, 1976, during the emergency, while maintaining the student council, Shri Singhal Ji, at the age of 16, started his common life in 1942. This has been depicted in 1980 when Ashok Ji joined VHP as a teenager. Through his devotion and practice, Ashok Ji made VHP as the determination of “Shree Ram Leela”.
He brought the unorganized Hindu Society and all the saints of India on a single platform. Shri Ashok Singhal Ji who had an enigmatic personality united everyone and on Sept 30, 2015, held a Press Conference with Dr.Subramaniam Swamy in which he revealed his intentions to eliminate the problems to be faced during “Ram Mandir” construction. Ashok Ji was generous indeed! Despite having discrepancies with Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav, he had several meetings with him to find a solution to the “Ram Mandir” dispute.