Is Ram Mandir BJP’s Monopoly?

Before I start chewing into the intricacies of the topic, let me take the pleasure of introducing myself to you as an RSS Swayamsevak and admit to you my pride in being a part of this organisation. I also feel proud in supporting the BJP. I would like to assure the readers that I understand the limitations of BJP. However I would also like to shed some light on the party’s achievements which range from developments in country’s infrastructure and extends all the way to the nation‘s pride in the field of defence. It is a party, which is different because of its Nationalist intentions, strong economic policies and no non-sense attitude towards development. Be it the Pokharan Test, the Golden Quadrilateral or the Telecom Revolution; BJP has done all that can make India proud. BJP is a party that has given Indians a chance to be proud of its accomplishments. Especially during the Pokhran Nuclear Tests, they did not worry about the possible sanctions which would be imposed by so called Economic Super Powers. They went ahead and did something which was in the nation’s interest.

But despite all this, BJP is still linked to the demolition of the ‘Babri Masjid’ in Ayodhya. The issue seems to have become a Double Edged Sword for the party. Pseudo seculars believe that it was BJP’s initiative that led to the eventual demolition of what should be rightly called a Disputed Structure rather than a Babri Masjid. Some intellectuals believe that the Ghosts of this demolition will haunt the party forever.

Quite contrary to the general perception, it is not the demolition or subsequent developments that made BJP a certain winner amongst the Hindus. For personal ambitions Pseudo-secularists have made it their agenda to propagate demeaning opinions about BJP‘s intensions, supporting a belief that BJP committed a cardinal sin in demolishing a structure of worship for the minorities. In contrast to that, there is a group of Hindus which believes that BJP betrayed the faith they had posed in the party. BJP was expected to build a Grand Ram Mandir immediately after coming to power at the centre. So when they failed even after 6 years of good governance, some people took it as betrayal and vowed never to trust the party again.

It is this segment of our community that evokes my curiosity and brings forward the question – ‘Is Ram Mandir BJP’s monopoly?’ What have we done as Hindus to ensure that our Bhagwan Ram gets a grand temple at his birth place? Don’t we have any responsibility towards the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas? Is electing BJP government enough to build a temple? Before we find answers to the above questions, we need to be sure that we are really serious about it.

I firmly believe it is the integration of Hindu community alone that can nurture and support such a noble cause. When temples are demolished in other countries, nobody wants to speak about it. But one mosque demolished in early nineties, is still a hot topic of discussion. Let us be fair. If Ram Mandir can be built anywhere else, why not the mosque? Especially, when it is a symbol of invasions by Babar. Every other faith has enjoyed its liberty to have a site that supports the sanctity of its beliefs

After all why support a structure that threatens both the secular status of Muslims and the sanctity of Ayodhya?

Any reason why Hindu sentiments should be cast aside and only minority sentiments be protected? To me it appears that being the majority is a bane on Hindus and Hinduism. If only we were a minority in India, the Ram Mandir would probably have been a reality today.

The detailed data is in abundance. But at this point of time, I would like to ask only a simple question. Are we as Indians and as Hindus ready to build a Grand Temple at Ayodhya? If yes, what are we going to do to contribute towards that effort? Whether we like it or not, political parties and Governments can only facilitate building of Ram Mandir. They cannot ensure the construction. A pressure group will have to be formed which will compel even a non-BJP Government to take cognizance of the same and ensure a Grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya . We will have to work towards making the Ram Mandir a reality, brick by brick.

Ram Janmabhoomi and the proposed temple has already made its place in the hearts of the majority Indians, and as their collective aspirations consolidate not even the might of the Pseudo-secularists will be able to restrain its emergence at its destined site.

Caught on the Right foot!

We have often heard about being caught on the wrong foot, caught on the back foot, and so on. But due to my association with the so called ‘Right Wing Organisations’, I have always been caught on the right foot! My comments on any issue of national importance are seen from the prism of a Right Wing Thinker. A Congressmen is considered an independent thinker, is secular and is a responsible citizen of this country. But a Swayamsevak or BJP Karyakarta is considered to be communal, biased and unaware of‘Youth Psychology’. I have no particular provocation to write this piece. However, from whatever I have seen during my over a decade long association with the RSS, I could not resist but write this.

Recently, the Allahabad High Court Verdict took the country by storm. All the pseudo seculars were hoping that a pro-mosque verdict will be given. And thus, they kept telling people like us that the verdict will have to be accepted and that peace be maintained. Respect for the Judiciary was at its peak. Some people did ask for a hospital or peace centre at the disputed site, but I am sure, they neither have any basis nor any idea about what the issue stands for. However, when the verdict was pronounced, the seculars were left with no words. Suddenly, the judiciary was slammed for allowing faith to influence the ruling. As if that was not enough, court ruled that ‘The disputed building was constructed by Babar, the year is not certain but it was built against the tenets of Islam. Thus, it cannot have the character of a mosque.’ Though the 1992 demolition has no links with the verdict, seculars were left red faced since the demolition of a redundant structure does not amount to such a big crime as bringing down a religious structure.

In all, the judgment might have been seen as an attempt to arrive at a Win-Win solution. And it has done just that. But the secularists have lost. Their argument was based on everything that the court has turned down. The stand of the Sangh Parivar stood vindicated and that was the most painful part of the verdict for Sangh bashers. Some people in the media did try to link the demolition with the verdict, but there were hardly any takers. All this while our arguments were treated as emotional and political rather than with any backing of facts. However, at this point of time, we have the logic and facts on our side.

People committed to the Sangh ideology have never had a problem in reaching out to people. But this verdict will get the more moderate ones amongst us to stand by their dream of a Grand Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the birth place of Shri Ram. Now, their feelings have the backing of not just historians and history, but the High Court as well.

Not that I have not enjoyed it before, but the recent verdict has surely given us an opportunity to hold our head high and be self-assertive. We are soldiers fighting for a cause, for restoring our self-esteem and glory. It is a fight for the country’s pride. The battle has been won. The war, hopefully, will be won before it starts. As the lyrics of a popular song go, ‘only when we remove the Ravan from our heart, will we find Ram in there’.

I pray for Ram Rajya to take over soon.

Jai Hind! Jai Shri Ram!