Political Diary

New Delhi, 23 January 2024

Ram Lala’s Consecration

OPP HINDUISM VS BJP HINDUTVA

By Poonam I Kaushish 

Circa September 1984: Vishwa Hindu Parishad begins campaign against Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid threatening to break open locks. Two years later then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi acquiesces and Hindus enter mosque.

Circa 1989:  Rajiv allows temple shilanyas and begins Lok Sabha campaign from Ayodya  promising Ram Rajya.

Circa 25 September 1990: BJP President Advani becomes “charioteer” of rath yatra from Gujarat’s Somnath temple which culminates in Ayodhya October. Asserting he did not imagine  response would be so overwhelming whereby yatra took the monument out of its religious context and gave it a potent political thrust for installing Hindu nationalism as India’s dominant political credo. Followed by kar sevaks demolishing Masjid 6 December 1992.  

Circa  9 November 2019: Supreme Court in a historic unanimous judgment  says rights of 2.77 acres disputed Ayodhya plot where Babri Masjid stood is Lord Ram’s birthplace and will be handed over to Ram Lalla, one of the three litigants in the case. Muslims will get “alternate land” a five-acre plot elsewhere for a mosque, thereby putting to rest Sunni Waif Board claims the mosque was built by Babar.

Circa 20 January 2024: Congress’s leaders Sonia Gandhi, President Mallikarjun Kharge decline , invite calling it “an RSS/BJP event.” Ditto other INDIA bloc Opposition leaders. While TMC’s Mamta dubs it a “political gimmick,” NCP’s Pawar is more circumspect, “I will go later,” “so will I” coos SP’s Akhilesh, RJD’S Lalu and AAP’s Kejriwal, DMK’s Stalin states cannot accept temple built after razing mosque and BJD’s Patnaik who has maintained equidistance from all inaugurates a grand parikrama of Puri’s Jaganthnath temple.

A triumphant BJP slams decision saying “Opposition feels jealously, malice and inferiority complex” towards Prime Minister Modi.” For the Party the consecration is a masterstroke, a seminal moment, an act of faith and assertion of Hindu identity. The road to attaining political nirvana in the upcoming polls. From a mere two seats in 1984 to 303 in 2019 it hopes to total over 400+ now.

Circa 22 January 2024: Undeniably, Modi has established the centrality of religion in today’s politics, an embodiment of belief. Proved post Ram Lala’s pran pratishtha that he knows aam aadmi’s pulse as the tidal wave in support of Ram temple underscores Lord Ram resonates in people’s hearts. More important its construction and consecration finally rests centuries-old dispute. Ironically, Congress opened the lock but BJP got the key and will go down in history as its legacy to transform India to Ram Rajya.

In the midst of Opposition-BJP tu-tu-mein-mein over who is a true blue Ram bhakt vs 'seasonal Hindu' and religion is a personal affair. Congress’s Rahul contends “temple’s unveiling is timed deliberately close to elections soon. While Hinduism is not about persecuting people belonging to different faiths, Hindutva is. Hinduism is not about beating a Sikh or a Muslim, Hindutva of course is.”

Alas, Congress and Co does not have a language on Hinduism for people. By staying away from pran pratishtha follows their dismal pattern of me-too and boycott politics. Even as they profess to be devout Hindus and visited temples in respective States on 22 January so as not to be seen as anti-Hindu, yet most are perceived  as indulging in appeasement politics, part of the “tukde-tukde gang” which favours Muslims.

Worse, they did not checkmate BJP by launching an equally vigorous counter campaign or made any attempt to invoke secular ideals or Constitutional values to strike a cord among those who share their views on politicization of temple and strict separation of religion and State to run a multi-cultural country like India. Also, they do not seem to have the wherewithal for a mass connect programme.

Clearly, in the ongoing tussle between Hindus and ‘extreme Hindus’ the onus of deciding what one expects from one's religion --- whether it should be command-driven and enslaved to a Party hunting for power in the religion's name, or not -- rests with Hindus.

Questionably, is Hindutva same as Hinduism? According to Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Hindutva as defined in the classic statement of its ideology, is the “culture of the Hindu race” where Hinduism is but an element and "Hindu dharma is a religion practiced by Hindus as well as Sikhs and Buddhists.” The Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, Hindutva is a concept of “Indian cultural, national and religious identity. The term conflates a geographically based religious, cultural and national identity: a true ‘Indian’ is one who partakes of this ‘Hinduness.’

In the early 1920s RSS ideologue Sarvarkar wrote the Essentials of Hindutva whereby he sought to define these as common nation (rashtra), common race (jati) and common culture or civilisation (sanskriti). Indian culture as a manifestation of Hindu values; this concept grew to become a major tenet of Hindu nationalist ideology.

Interestingly, he defined his idea of Hindu resurgence in political terms, not religious. The nation, he said, was based on the unifying Hinduness of its people. Hindutva refers to “cultural nationalism” and is “not a religious or theocratic concept.” He called as much for a combative spirit as a cohesive one, if India were to retain its essence, which in his opinion was its Hindu civilization and Hindu way of life.

Besides, Hindutva and Hinduism have been a part of several Supreme Court judgments. In 1966 Court held, “Hinduism is impossible to define and is complex. Historically it has an ‘inclusive nature’ and can be described as a way of life. The theist and atheist, sceptic and agnostic may all be Hindus if they accept the Hindu system of culture and life. Hindutva is not hostility to any organised religion nor does it proclaim its superiority of any religion to another.”

Plainly, Opposition needs a more imaginative, more political and bold response. They need to frame an alternative idea and politics, do hard political labour, communicate it to people in a language that is persuasive, appealing and uplifting, not just react to agendas set by BJP. As running away isn’t nimble politics.

Undeniably, the Sangh Parivar has amplified Ram Lala’s narrative by resurrecting enormous Ram literature, Ram bhajans, mythical stories of Ram through social media to start a new chapter in Indian history, a 'new world order'. 22 January is modern India’s national carnival as there has been no event this size which can be dismissed as BJP's propaganda only. It symbolises India’s transformation from a Constitutional State to a civilizational State distinguished by different levels of culture and heritage

Time now, for Parties to close ranks and re-dedicate themselves to a truly secular nation and focus on matters pertaining to governance, development, social and economic prosperity. They need to remember that India is a pluralistic society where Hindus and Muslims have to live and die together.

In fact, the temple is a symbol of national unity as all castes and communities were involved in rebuilding it. Those at the helm of governance must desist from showing a bias towards any faith as it could seriously strain inter-religious relations. After all, it was none other than Mohammad Iqbal who hailed Ram as Imam e Hind.

Undoubtedly, our polity has to desist from playing ducks and drakes with the aam aadmi’s religious beliefs, be it Ram Bhakti or Rahim Bhakti. It is only through sheer force of political will and authority that a Government and Opposition can bring about communal harmony for the betterment of a future India. Can it deliver?  --- INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)