The BJP and the RSS are now convinced that the dream of Ram Rajya is possible with majoritarian dominance
Just like August 15, i.e. Independence Day and August 9, which is Quit India Day, a third date, August 5, 2020, has become a historic date for the BJP. While launching the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “history was written today in golden letters.” It is indeed a twin triumph for Modi that the colourful bhoomi pujan ceremony came on the first anniversary of the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The Ram temple at Ayodhya and the abrogation of Article 370 were two divisive issues for the country. But for Modi it was a matter of fulfilling the BJP’s promises to its core Hindu voters. At the bhoomi pujan Modi drew a parallel with the freedom movement and by this he has placed freedom from cultural subjugation on a par with the political freedom of India. “Just as August 15 symbolises untiring tenacity, millions of sacrifices and the fervent desire for freedom... similarly this day reminds (one) of the sacrifices made by several generations... for the Ram temple,” Modi said and claimed that the “wait of centuries” for the Ram temple had ended. In fact, August 5 marks the demise of what the Congress and the other Opposition parties call “secularism.”
The bhoomi pujan ceremony for the Ram temple is the beginning of a new cultural nationalism and dominance that was the dream of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for decades. The BJP and the RSS have rejected the idea of composite nationalism and favoured cultural nationalism. The BJP has been agitating for its core agenda since its inception in 1980 though its critics call it a majoritarian agenda. The party is jubilant as in the first year of Modi’s second term, he managed to deliver two of the items on the agenda. He was able to do so because of three reasons. The first is that the BJP got a big mandate in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The second is the weak Opposition which has given a free hand to the saffron party. The third is that the BJP does not need to woo the Muslim votebank as the majority is with them.
Let us take Kashmir first. It was on August 5, 2019 that the State was bifurcated and Article 370, that gave special status to J&K, was abrogated. The decision attracted international attention and criticism and even after one year, things are yet to become normal. The entire political class has been under arrest at one time or the other in J&K and even one year down the line, some of the leaders, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, remain incarcerated. There is a political vacuum on the one hand and an incapacitated political class on the other. As a result, there has been no political activity in J&K for more than a year. Many demand that the detained leaders should be freed and elections should be held. Since the PDP–BJP Government fell in 2018, J&K has been under continuous Governor’s Rule. Former Minister Manoj Sinha took over as the Lieutenant-Governor last week, the second in a year. Militancy in J&K has reduced to an extent but not totally snuffed out. The people of Kashmir have been facing a double whammy, the Coronavirus-induced lockdown on one side and curfew on the other, for the past many months. The promised jobs are nowhere on the horizon and the industry, including shawl, carpet, dryfruit, fruit exports and so on have suffered. Tourism is dead. Communication has broken down and schools and colleges are closed.
In this regard Manoj Sinha’s statement after the oath-taking ceremony is significant. “There should be peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir. The situation of uncertainty should end, terrorism should end. Achieving all this along with accelerated development will be our aim, our mission.” The challenges before him include delimitation, Assembly elections, resuming political dialogue and restoring full statehood. The trust deficit should also be bridged and there should be a reconnect with the people.
As for the Ram temple, the Supreme Court’s verdict has strengthened the Government’s hand. With the law on its side and the Muslims reconciled to the fact that they will have a mosque on the land given to them elsewhere, not much problems are expected. The temple trust would have the support of the State and the Central Government as both are ruled by the same party. Money would be no problem as donations are pouring in. The big temple would be ready by 2023, perhaps just before the 2024 elections. BJP leader Vinay Katiyar has already claimed that major temples at Kashi and Mathura are on the BJP’s agenda. Now only the Uniform Civil Code remains on the BJP’s core agenda. The Modi Government might think of bringing a law soon when the pandemic is behind us. Along with that, there could also be some measures for population regulation. The BJP and the RSS are now convinced that the dream of Ram Rajya is possible with majoritarian dominance. Modi is their chosen messiah now.
(The writer is a senior journalist)
