'Love jihad', cow protection and religious conversion remained the main focus of discussion at the two-day meeting of the eastern region working committee of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) at Prayagraj, about 200 kilometres from Lucknow, on Monday.
Sources said that the Sangh functionaries favoured the enactment of a stringent law to check 'love jihad' (Muslim youths marrying Hindu girls under false pretenses) and religious conversion.
The speakers at the meet, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, stressed the need to create social awareness to check the menace (of love jihad and conversion). They also emphasised the need for having a strict law to ensure cow protection.
According to the sources, the RSS also reviewed the ways and means to increase the participation of the public in the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya so it could be made grander.
The Sangh contemplated setting up a university and a hospital in the district.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also reached out to them on Monday and met Bhagwat and other senior RSS leaders.
Although Adityanath did not attend any of the sessions at the meeting, he briefed the RSS chief and other leaders about the steps taken by the UP government over cow protection. The chief minister also apprised the RSS leaders about the law to check 'love jihad' and religious conversion, sources said.
Shriram Janmabhoomi Teerth Trust, which was overseeing the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, also met the RSS leaders and sought their cooperation in reaching out to the people to increase their participation. This issue was also discussed at one of the sessions during the meeting.