Mandir! An electoral agenda for too long!

The RSS leader said it was a matter of pain and anguish that an issue which Hindus consider their faith and to which their sentiment is attached is not on the priority list of the court. “Hindus are feeling insulted,” he said.  The issue has been hanging fire for long, but can the decision by the apex court be called “an insult”?  Hindus believe the mosque was built after destroying a temple commemorating Ram Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Sri Ram. The walls of Babri Masjid bore tell-tale signs of the destruction that preceded its construction – disfigured stone engravings and pillars that can be seen at many other sites were razed to build mosques by Islamic invaders and Mughal rulers.

The ruling party the BJP is known to rake up the Temple issue every time it has to face the electorate. In 1992, LK Advani then became the legendary hero of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the defining moment of independent India’s quest for nationhood? Had Advani not pushed the BJP into associating with the Ram Mandir movement through a party resolution at the National Executive meeting in Palampur way back in 1922 and then embarked upon a Somanth to Ayodhya Ram Rath Yatra, BJP would have not been the same.

Having not got a favourable response from the apex court. The Hindu fringe organizations are now putting pressure on the BJP to adopt a “legal way”- an the choice of an ordinance is the topic of hot debates now.

“A legal sanction is required to pave way for construction of the temple. The wait for court’s verdict has been too long. Since the matter was listed for hearing on October 29, we felt Hindus would get good news before Diwali,” said Bhaiyyaji Joshi. The general secretary of RSS needs to be told that if he was expecting“good news” and the same has not been delivered by the top court, it certainly is not an insult to the sentiments of the Hindu Community. Rather his choice of words for the apex court of India is so demeaning to yet another constitutional body. The apex court only deferred the hearing for two months, as it said, “We have our own priorities.” This confrontation seems to be an act of threatening the court in case it tends to give an unfavorable judgment on Ram Janambhoomi. Now a member of RSS who has been recently granted membership of Rajya Sabha has proposed a Private Members Bill on Ram Janambhoomi. The general secretary and other who are banking their hopes on this government needs to know that more than 25 years ago,the BJP failed to avail the opportunity that was offered to it on the platter by the Congress government when it brought an ordinance for Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. It happened in January 1993, only a month after the Babri Masjid was brought down by a massive assembly of kar sevaks (volunteers) participating in a movement led by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and aided by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on December 6, 1992. PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister then.  The Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Ordinance was promulgated by then President Shankar Dayal Sharma. Later, a Bill was introduced in Parliament by then Union Home Minister SB Chavan. After being passed, the Bill came to be known as the Ayodhya Act.The Narasimha Rao government acquired 60.70 acre land surrounding the disputed site of 2.77 acre. The Congress government planned to build “a Ram temple, a mosque, amenities for pilgrims, a library, museum and other suitable facilities” in Ayodhya. But, the Ayodhya Act failed to pave way for a Ram Mandir as the BJP intensely opposed the Narasimha Rao government’s moves — the ordinance and also the Ayodhya Act. The then BJP vice-president SS Bhandari called it “partisan, petty and perverse”. Muslim bodies also opposed it. The minority government of Narasimha Rao developed cold feet and sought refuge in the Supreme Court through a Presidential Reference under Article 143 of the Constitution. While questions are being raised on the intent of the apex court of India, no question is being asked why BJP way back in 1993 let go an opportunity that came its way. Mandir at Ram Janambhoomi has been a poll plank for the ruling BJP and it remain so in the run up for the general elections of 2019. Their seriousness for the Mandir can be gauged from the very fact that it featured at page 41 of their manifesto in 2014, and the assertion that a 1992 like agitation could take place is yet another attempt to keep the masses in a state of confusion and fear in order to drive best numbers in the form of ballots.