Vishwa Hindu Parishad International President Ashok Singhal on Tuesday said the failure to construct a Ram Temple at the deity's birth place was one of the 'greatest insults' to Hindu society.

Addressing a gathering at a function organised to celebrate his 80th birth anniversary in Chennai, he said, "Non-construction of a Ram temple at a place where Rama was born will be an insult not only to the Hindu society in India, but to the Hindu society across the world."

He also lamented that leaders in the country did not have the courage to sing Vande Mataram. Calling for cohesion among the Hindu society, Singhal referred to the Hindu Kingdom in Nepal where 95 per cent of the population comprised of Hindus, but now it is termed a secular regime and not a Hindu regime.

He also described the foisting of murder cases against Kanchi Shankaracharyas and their arrest as the 'greatest insult' heaped on the Hindus in this century.

Urging the Hindu society to be awake, he said the remedy for this was to fill the country with the name of Lord Rama [Images]. "Fill this country (India) with the name of Rama. Fill the country with the ideals of Rama and fill the country with the Mission of Rama," he said.

He urged the Hindu society to follow the path shown by the spiritual leaders for its awakening.

Speaking on the occasion, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union minister Murali Manohar Joshi asserted that 'no power on earth could stop construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya.'

"Under the leadership of Singhal, we will certainly build the Ram Temple. Construction of Ram Temple for me is synonymous with the reconstruction of the Hindu nation," he added.

"Let us all assist Singhal to ensure that the Ram Janma Bhoomi issue is settled and achieving his dream of construction of Ram Temple and make Hindu Society stronger," Dr Joshi said.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief K S Sudarshan recalled Singhal's association with RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and his tireless service to the Hindu society. "Singhal had electrified Hindu society through his Ram Janmabhoomi Movement and the Clean Ganga Campaign," he said.

The function was attended by spiritual luminaries like Kanchi Acharya Jayendra Saraswathi, Vishvesh Theertha Swamiji of Pejawar Mutt, Udupi and social activists, political leaders and chief ministers.

Among those who spoke on the occasion included Madhya Pradesh [Images] Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundara Raje, VHP International Vice-President S Vedantam, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, Kanchi Acharya and the Pejawar Mutt Swamiji.