Popular opinion for the Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute in Mathura is being slowly galvanised although the court dismissed the civil suit
As popular opinion for the Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute in Mathura is being slowly galvanised after the court dismissed a civil suit on September 30, it looks like history is repeating itself. It wasn’t a usual day at the office for Civil Judge, senior division, Chhaya Sharma of the Mathura Civil Court, although, what happened wasn’t unexpected. The court had just received a civil suit by a Hindu deity — Lord Krishna Virajman. Since the Lord is a “minor”, he was represented in the suit through his “next friend.” The suit had been filed against encroaching and illegally building a Shahi Idgah mosque on the minor’s property. The allegation was against the Uttar Pradesh Waqf Board and the mosque trust for illegally allowing the entry of “some Muslims” for the said purpose.
It had been claimed in the suit that “every inch of land in Katra Keshav Dev (the disputed site) is sacred for the devotees of Lord Krishna” as he was born on that site. It had been demanded on behalf of the deity that, “Darshan, pooja, rituals according to Vedic Sanatana Dharma, faith, belief, usages, traditions and customs”, which are protected under Article 25 of the Constitution, be allowed to be performed at the actual birthplace which lies beneath the Shahi Idgah mosque. The suit was dismissed by the court on September 30 at the admission stage itself. The court cited that the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which provides for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947, barred it from accepting the suit at this stage.
Don’t be surprised if you are getting a feeling of déjà vu, because the country has been through this before. The filing of a civil suit before the Mathura court was only symbolic. What it effectively did, irrespective of the dismissal order, is that, it has set the tone for an all new battle that Right-wing Hindus are ready to fight in their attempt to regain their cultural heritage and lost religious integrity.
The Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura has for decades been one among the three sites (others being the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi and the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi) that Hindu Right-wing political organisations have been fighting for. The battle is to reclaim the religious and cultural heritage of India which was lost when Aurangzeb had issued orders for the demolition of a large number of temples (close to 40,000) in 1669-1670 and had built mosques over them. This, of course, is a matter of fact and history. But, how will this lost heritage be regained today? The answer is: “By the demolition of these mosques built by barbaric Muslim rulers over temples.”
One can’t help but be reminded of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri masjid dispute. It was one of the longest and the most fiercely fought legal as well as political battles in our country which changed the way politics was done and elections were fought. Although appeasement politics was used as a tool during elections even before the 1990s, such glorification of a particular belief system juxtaposed to the vilification of another was unprecedented. Populism and divisive politics were played like never before. Politics of identity based on new definitions of Hinduism had emerged — one that was based on the faith of exclusion and anti-communitarian. The battle even defined what is meant by community, society, and citizens and who deserved to stay in it. It set new standards for everything. No one knew what was the “common good” anymore. This led to social atomisation, cultural fragmentation and moral and religious decadence.
For 25 long years, Lord Ram was politicised. He was made an emotional issue to garner votes. Rabble-rousers and demagogues were allowed to rise to positions of political power using his name. A new politico-cultural space was created in this country which said, “Let me glorify my own religion.”
This led to bloodshed that cost thousands of lives. The most viral slogan on the streets, for the longest time ever was, “Tareekh nahi batayenge par mandir wahi banayenge (we will not give you a date, but we will make the temple there only).”
Suddenly, everybody was a staunch supporter of this new version of Hindutva. Everybody wanted a temple to be built in Ayodhya on the disputed Babri mosque site — legally or illegally, peacefully or violently. All this was happening simultaneously with an equally fierce legal battle being fought before the courts.
When the apex court gave a final decision in the case, allowing for a temple to be built on the disputed site, it was clear that this was an apt example of decisions based on faith. The majority of the parties to the suit were happy. However, senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan had warned the court during the hearings by stating that the court must consider how future generations would view this verdict.
The demand for declaring the disputed site in Mathura as Krishna Janmabhoomi is gaining momentum. A ‘Krishna Janmabhoomi Nirman Nyas’ has already been set up by a group of religious men. Mass support for the suit is on the rise on social media where political groups are even demanding for the scrapping of the 1991 Act.
“Hindu unity” like never before is being called for. Statements by top political leaders and members of Right-wing organisations have already started pouring in. And last but not the least, prime-time drama on TV news channels have got new fuel for their daily duels. Popular opinion is being slowly galvanised, and this all looks like history repeating itself. This was the inevitable consequence of the Ayodhya issue and the verdict.
One has to understand that political parties, whose rise to power has transpired due to a combination of certain formulae and tools of political oppression, will always be reluctant to let those formulae go away so soon. It was the Ayodhya dispute, the reassertion of the “persecution complex” on the part of Muslims, and the subsequent wave of “Hindu nationalism” that transformed the BJP from a cadre-based party to one with mass support. The BJP has leap-frogged into power and consecrated its image of a “Hindu nationalist.” A denouement of the same is, therefore, impossible especially when it is faced with a crippling economy and the worst rates of unemployment this country has seen in decades.
Religion, historically, has proven to be the best political weapon, to internalise oppression among the masses. A sedative that helps cool down dissenting voices, where people can agree to not disagree.
Mathura will be the new metaphor for Hindutva politics. The Krishna Janmabhoomi movement will serve as a consistent emotional issue required to connect to the masses. This time, Lord Krishna will be used. Fringe groups will again devise a putsch to assert majoritarianism. New definitions of State and citizens will be written down in the name of “religious freedom.” Safe spaces for minorities will again be crushed. The judiciary will again be faced with an all-new battle where it will again choose necessity over rationality. But, what after Mathura? How many more Ayodhyas and Mathuras will we be spectators to? Isn’t our heritage more about inclusivity, acceptance, tolerance, trust and harmony? Why can’t a mosque in Mathura’s Katra Keshav Dev stand together with Lord Krishna’s temple? Why can’t the compromise arrived at between the two communities, based on mutual respect for each other’s faith, way back in 1968, be allowed to survive? Isn’t that the idea of India we are duty-bound to protect?
I am reminded of two kalyug predictions that Ved Vyasa made. First, he said that cities will be dominated by thieves, the Vedas will be contaminated by speculative interpretations, political leaders will virtually consume the citizens and the so-called priests and intellectuals will be devotees of their greed. (Srimad Bhagavatam Verse 12.3.32) Second, he said, “Uncultured men will show their austerity to the Lord by wearing a mendicant’s dress and those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat and presume to speak on religious principles (Srimad Bhagavatam Verse 12.3.38).” The dismissal of the suit by the Mathura court doesn’t matter because the politics around Krishna Janmabhoomi has just started. India is fully set to vindicate Ved Vyasa. Jai shri Krishna!
(Anurag is from the National Law University, Visakhapatnam)
