#Ayodhya Ram Mandir and Congress

[cimerran-714]

Okay, well, maybe some context for non-Indian readers: there's a really famous temple in India which was inaugurated days back, in a city which is said to be the birthplace of a Hindu deity. It was built on the site of a demolished mosque (which was itself built on a Hindu temple centuries ago).

Now, as usual, left-wingers start frothing at the mouth whenever things don't go as they want it to happen, and start screaming about "fascism" and "authoritarianism". There's enough evidence that the mosque was built over a demolished non-Islamic temple, and the case was decided by the Supreme Court.

These don't matter to leftists: similar to how Christians/Republicans are considered fascists in Americans, Hinduism receives kind of the same treatment here sometimes.

Yes, God forbid we build a temple where it's supposed to be. Don't get me wrong: demolishing the mosque was wrong, but considering that it was built over a destroyed temple, well...

Cope and seethe lol. It is absolutely a moment to be celebrated.

[agamemnomenonn]

reblogging this after the indian general elections, and i could not be more proud of the indian public. while modi still won, it's a huge blow to his arrogance by winning just barely. furthermore, the fact that he lost in UP, where he built this temple goes to show that it never had anything to do with religion, merely politics. modi is weaponising religion and making it a political tool, and all you hindutvas are too blind to see it. ending this tirade with a tweet i saw the other day:

also just want to remind people that last year, a pandit of the ram mandir that existed before modi demolished it and built the new one constantly spoke out against the construction of the new one and said, "what happened in the past remains in the past. the fact of the matter is that right now, neither hindus nor muslims living in ayodhya have any problem with both the mosque and the temple standing side by side. both religious communities go to pray in peace, and festivals are often celebrated together. modi is not constructing a new mandir because of religion, he is constructing a new mandir as part of his political agenda. none of the pandits in this mandir want this to happen."

six months later, this pandit was killed.

a mosque was destroyed on 23rd january in mira road, a day after the ram mandir celebrations. in a city like bombay, this is the last thing i imagined happening. as if that's not enough, apparently bjp mla's have been planning on doing this for a few years now, but were awaiting, as they put it, the 'right opportunity'. the world, and this country, becomes a more horrific and sick place to live in every single day, and i do not have enough words to describe how scared and sorry i feel for my muslim, as well as christian friends. our constitution preaches secularity, but our government and courts fail you every single day. i am on your side.

[incorrectmahabharatquotes]

Genuinely curious, because you seem to hate the Ram Mandir... or how you think one party/ruling government is using it for political gain/votes or how it's wasting money etc.

What do you have to say about the Waqf board act? Or the infamous Shah Bano case and the way the Rajiv Gandhi government went against the decision of the Supreme Court to favour Muslim patriarchy. Or the fact that the Congress government banned books like the Satanic Verses to please a certain community. Is this not politics of appeasement?

You say that the ruling party is playing politics over religion, but hasn't every party done it? It's not like BJP was even hiding it, they've been campaigning for the Ram Mandir rebuilding for decades. It doesn't make it automatically a bad move.

Besides, Ram Mandir is built through devotee donations, so why so much vitriol against it? If Hindus are giving money to construct a temple, it's solely their own decision. I genuinely don't understand why there's so much hatred for it. If a community is reclaiming their holy land, which had been forcibly ruined and rebuilt into another type of building, it's not a bad thing. Plus, a big chunk of land was given to the Sunny Waqf board to build a beautiful mosque in Ayodhya itself, which has begun construction this year (iirc). Both communities will have their interests restored.

Why can't we move on and celebrate the Ram Mandir rebuilding and inauguration? Is decolonization and reclaiming of a place of cultural significance not important?

(I know that some people are being too aggressive about it, but the majority isn't. They're simply celebrating and praying. And some of them actually got attacked for it.)

Okay. Since you're genuinely curious, I'll answer this.

"Why am I criticising the current ruling party for playing politics of appeasement and not any of the other parties?" I'm criticizing them BECAUSE they're the ruling party. They have been in power for close to 10 years now. That's more than 1/3rd of my whole life. This is a hilarious question because I would've been criticizing the same action if it would've been taken by any other political party. I don't have a problem with the party, I have a problem with what they're doing. All citizens are SUPPOSED to do this, my friend. Criticizing your government on what they're doing wrong is a fundamental part of a democracy.

"Politics of appeasement." I hope you understand the difference between appeasement and religious nationalism. The ruling party isn't appeasing anyone. Their acts are guided by their political ideology of Hindutva. I fundamentally disagree with their ideology. I do not agree with them when they say being Hindu is integral to being an Indian. I do not believe in maintaining a Hindu hegemony in India. I simply refuse to accept an ideology that was LITERALLY INSPIRED BY FASCISM AND THE IDEAS OF RACIAL SUPERIORITY.

"What do you have to say about so-and-so?" You know, I would've criticised things I believe are harming our country and power when the governments you speak of were in power. Unfortunately, in certain cases I was not alive then to criticize them and in a few cases, I was a child and I did not know how to form complex sentences. I do not believe in essentialism, you understand? I do not believe that any religion or political party is essentially good or bad. I believe in judging them for what they do.

"They've been campaigning for the Ram Mandir for decades. It doesn't make it automatically a bad move." It's imperative for you to understand this, it is politically a good move and in all other ways a HORRIBLE move. They get the support of all the Hindus who make up the majority of the population? Decent political move. Who could begrudge them for using DIVIDE AND CONQUER as a strategy? But in doing so, what kind of monster have they created? Have they created a billion people who think religious-nationalism is an okay direction for the country's future? Is that a good move, I ask you.

"Ram mandir is built through devotee donations so it's okay." That's close to ₹1,800 crores. (Estimated amount because of course, there's no transparency in the donation system so that we know who donated what amount.) Do you seriously believe all that money came out of the pockets of average working class Indians? Or did the ultra wealthy businessmen fund this religious project and get massive tax breaks in the process? But yes, I'm sure there's no fuckery going on with the money because it's out of DEVOTION. That makes it okay, I guess.

Now we come to the part that is the worst part of this anon message, according to me.

"Reclamation and decolonization." You use these words so lightly and I find that offensive. These words are HIGHLY tied to power structures. Who has the power right now? Is it the mythic evil Islamic conquerors of 400 years ago? Or is it a political party that believes in hindu nationalism and is funded by the ultra wealthy billionaires because said party helps them get even richer? Who is reclaiming what here? I want you to ask yourself this. Can a powerful majority claim reclamation when they tear down a building to build another building there?

"They tore down the temple and built a mosque there" And now you've torn down the mosque and built a temple there. Congratulations, you've won the game. Where do we go from here? Will everyone be happy now? Has peace been restored? A great evil destroyed? What story are we telling ourselves here? Will the religious fanaticism go away now? Will the hatred that has been cultivated in the hearts of Hindus against Muslims be sated? Or will it find more avenues to spread itself?

Decolonizing the mind, right? I wonder why we're only focused on decolonizing against the islamic past and not anything else. But it's okay that India is currently colonising Kashmir. We don't believe in decolonisation when it comes to Kashmir. We don't believe in decolonizing from the system of capitalism that is choking the lives out of us. HELL, WE DON'T EVEN BELIEVE IN RECLAMATION SEEING HOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GIVING THE BARE MINIMUM RESERVATION TO CERTAIN COMMUNITIES AS A REPARATION FOR THE HARM THEY'VE HISTORICALLY AND CURRENTLY SUFFERED AND ARE STILL SUFFERING.

I don't want people to talk to me about reclamation, reparation and decolonisation before they accept their own hypocrisy.

Anon, you say have so much vitriol and hate towards a mandir. I should let people celebrate. Did I stop you personally from celebrating? Did I beat up somebody for trying to shove their religious agenda on me? All I did was talk about how sad I am that this is what we've decided to do with our country's resources. Why is one voice of dissent such a big deal to you? Do you want me to shut up and fall in line? Will that be acceptable?

- Mod S

[mariacallous]

Much of India came to a standstill on Jan. 22, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi consecrated a temple in the northern city of Ayodhya commemorating Rama, a warrior-king worshipped by Hindus as a god. Schools, colleges, and offices closed and central government offices gave a half-day off to all employees. Some expectant parents even cajoled obstetricians to schedule cesarean sections on the day so that their children are born at the auspicious moment coinciding with the temple’s opening.

Such a public display of religiosity by the Indian government and its leadership may seem peculiar, particularly to those who cherish secularism. But India moved away from the state’s traditional interpretation of secularism a decade ago, when Modi led the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power. With the next national elections only a few months away, Modi has choreographed the Ram temple consecration to consolidate his Hindu vote (about 80 percent of the country’s population is Hindu). The political intent is clear: Cutouts of Modi grace lampposts on the airport road in Ayodhya, with similar images of Rama added almost as an afterthought. In an audio message on social media this month, Modi said, “God has made me an instrument to represent all the people of India.”

The ongoing construction of Ram Mandir is very controversial in India. From the early 16th century until 1992, a mosque known as Babri Masjid stood on the site—built during the time of the emperor Babur, the first Mughal to rule India. Many Hindus say that Babur destroyed a temple honoring Rama that previously stood on the land, which they believe is Rama’s birthplace. In the 1980s, Hindu activists began a movement to reclaim the site and build a temple there. In December 1992, they razed the mosque, an act that shocked the nation.

But in the past two decades, India has changed, and Hindus clamored for the land to be restored to them. In 2019, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that although the initial act of demolition was illegal, it would offer the site to a Hindu trust to build a temple and grant land elsewhere to a Muslim trust to rebuild a mosque. Although the construction of the Ram Mandir is not yet complete, Modi needs the imagery for his election campaign, and so the consecration will go ahead. Some opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress and the Communist Party of India, did not send their top leadership to the ceremony; however, some Congress leaders were divided over the boycott and at least two attended.

Rama, for many Hindus, is maryada purushottam—the ideal human being who sacrifices himself for others. His is the kind of life to which lesser mortals should aspire; his heroism is based not simply on battlecraft, but upon his ability to put others’ interests before his own. In the Sanskrit epic Ramayana, Rama is the prince of Ayodhya who is about to become king when one of his father’s wives demands that Rama go into exile, and the succession passes to her son instead. Rama leaves with his wife, Sita, and brother Lakshmana. The king of Lanka, Ravana, abducts Sita, and Rama mobilizes an army of monkeys to invade the island fortress, defeating Ravana and rescuing Sita. After 14 years, Rama finally rules Ayodhya, leading to a golden age.

The BJP sees the construction of the Ram Mandir temple as evidence of its single-minded determination, no matter how long it takes. Formed in 1980 by some members of the former Janata Party, the BJP initially struggled electorally. It briefly held power in the 1990s and led a coalition government between 1999 and 2004. In 2014, Modi projected himself as committed to development and boosted the BJP’s vote share to win a majority of seats in parliament with 31 percent of the national vote; five years later, the party increased its tally to 303 seats out of 542, winning 37 percent of the vote. The temple project follows other promises kept by Modi’s government: revoking the special autonomous status of Indian-administered Kashmir and introducing a citizenship act that created a pathway to Indian citizenship for asylum-seekers from neighboring countries but excluded Muslims. Modi has shown that he is the man who gets things done.

The BJP capitalized on three major changes that occurred in India in the 1980s to build its identity and increase its vote share. First, many Indians bristled at how India practiced secularism, perceiving the government as granting special favors to religious communities, such as subsidies for Muslims to perform the Hajj and curriculum exemptions for faith-based schools. Second, Indians were tired of living in an economy beset by sluggish growth and shoddy products due to socialist policies that restricted foreign investment and trade. (That changed in 1991, when the Congress government deregulated the economy.)

Finally, India was a leader in the Non-Aligned Movement, but the appeal of nonalignment was fading with the decline of Soviet influence and the eventual disintegration of the Soviet Union. The Congress party ruled India for most of its first 49 years post-independence, and it was instrumental in developing India’s secularism, socialism, and nonalignment. The BJP took advantage of public disenchantment and stepped into the void, promising “equality for all, appeasement to none,” to promote a market-based economy, and to reset its foreign policy, often aligning with Western interests. (Still, the BJP pursues strategic autonomy in many respects, such as its continuing trade ties with Russia despite Western sanctions.)

Most politicians have the next election on their mind; Modi and the BJP leadership have the next generation in mind. After all, more than 40 percent of Indians have no living memory of the Babri Masjid mosque. Even in the early years, the party began influencing India’s younger generations in the states where it came to power first, changing textbooks and rewriting history to downplay the roles of Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (and his family members who later came to power) and project alternative heroes who were more militant and outwardly Hindu. By promoting Rama as the warrior-king who ruled over an ideal state, the BJP aims to create a constituency of voters who see their identity primarily in religious terms and equate the Hindu faith with the nation of India.

To the BJP’s core voters—the hardwired Hindu nationalists—the party has promised to restore Hindu glories, embodied by the Ram Mandir temple. The events in Ayodhya have set a precedent: Some party activists want to transform more mosques (and, in some instances, churches), claiming they were also built where Hindu temples once stood. The triumphalism around the temple construction is so vicious that not only is it the opposition leaders boycotting the event who are facing criticism, but also four seers of the Hindu faith who have raised a range of objections—including the choice of Modi to perform the ceremony, which they say should be presided over by a priest.

The Hindu nationalist movement’s elevation of Rama over other Hindu deities is also strange. Hinduism is polytheistic, and its literature does not rest on one book. Many interpretations are liberal, and some contradict each other: Skepticism and atheism are also part of certain strands of Hinduism. In the late 1980s, I interviewed Morarji Desai, who had served as India’s prime minister representing the Janata Party. I asked him what he thought of the movement to build the Ram temple on the site of Babri Masjid, and he suggested that the BJP’s ultimate goal was to undermine Hinduism’s pluralism and turn it into a faith with one book (the Ramayana), one place of worship (Ayodhya), and one god (Rama). The slogan now reverberating through Ayodhya and much of India is Jai Shri Ram, or “Victory to Lord Rama.”

Rama is an exceptionally interesting and nuanced literary figure and well-loved outside of India, especially in Southeast Asia. But many Indians do not take kindly to works that present Rama in a different light, such as the late poet A.K. Ramanujan’s celebrated essay, “Three Hundred Ramayanas,” which shows how the epic’s characters appear in different forms and offer different interpretations in India and beyond. Nina Paley’s charming 2008 animated film that draws on the Ramayana, Sita Sings the Blues, was also controversial. The latest victim of this outrage is a Tamil film released on Netflix last month, Annapoorani, about the daughter of a Hindu priest who wants to be a chef; her Muslim friend encourages her to pursue her dream, correctly citing a verse from the Ramayana that shows that Rama ate meat. Some Hindus who practice vegetarianism for religious reasons were offended; Netflix withdrew the film, and the actor who played the protagonist issued a public apology on a “Jai Shri Ram” letterhead.

India is no longer a land of nuances. A significant part of its population wants an assertive government and a black-and-white narrative where subjugated Hindus are reclaiming their identity, and the foreigners who colonized the country in the past—the British and, before them, Muslims—are cast as villains. Such an approach risks turning a multidimensional country into a cardboard caricature of itself. The Ram temple consecration marked another milestone on that path—which Modi walks in the hope of getting elected once again.

[warningsine]

"January 22, 2024 is not merely a date in the calendar but heralds the advent of a new era," Modi said, speaking outside the temple to the Hindu deity Ram, built on grounds where a mosque stood for centuries before it was torn down in 1992 by Hindu zealots incited by members of his party.

That demolition triggered the worst religious riots since independence – killing 2,000 people, most of them Muslims – and shook the foundations of India's officially secular political order.

Tens of thousands of chanting and dancing devotees waving flags, honking horns and beating drums have converged on the northern town of Ayodhya, with roads clogged, trains packed full and the rest marching in on foot.

Few members of Ayodhya's Muslim community were seen joining the jubilant street party.

But for Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opening of the Ram Mandir temple is a landmark moment in a decades-long campaign to align the country's governance with its majority faith.

"The Lord has made me an instrument to represent all the people of India", Modi said when he launched an 11-day ritual fast ahead of the "auspicious" opening.

Tycoons, cricketers and actors

Excitement has reached a fever pitch, with thousands of Hindu believers dancing in packed streets as giant loudspeakers blast out religious tunes.

Vijay Kumar, 18, took four days to reach the town after walking and hitchhiking 600 kilometres (370 miles).

"We just wanted to be here," Kumar said. "We just wish to see the temple before we leave."

About 2,500 musicians are expected to perform on over 100 stages for the crowds of pilgrims, desperate to see the elaborate temple, built at an estimated $240 million that the project's backers say was sourced from public donations.

The 140 kilometres (87 miles) between the town and Uttar Pradesh state capital Lucknow is a seemingly endless stream of billboards of blue-skinned Ram with bow and arrow – as well as of Modi and the region's chief minister, the saffron-robed Hindu monk Yogi Adityanath.

Bukesh Rajiybng, 54, travelled for three days in a jam-packed train to attend the celebration.

"It's a moment we have all dreamed of for decades," he said. "I think the people and Ram will definitely bless Modi for this."

Other attendees jetted in to the newly built international airport and will stay at a crop of hotels built to cater to the millions of pilgrims expected to visit each year. 

Among the celebrity guests at the opening are Indian tycoons, former national cricket captain Virat Kohli and Bollywood titan Amitabh Bachchan.

'Death and destruction'

Modi and the BJP have sought to bring the Hindu faith to the forefront of public life since sweeping to power a decade ago.

Party luminaries regularly condemn earlier eras of Islamic rule over parts of India as a time of "slavery" when their own religion was oppressed, with Ayodhya a key plank in their narrative.

Devout Hindus believe Ram, one of the most revered Hindu gods, was born in the town more than 7,000 years ago, but that the Babri mosque was built over his birthplace by a 16th-century Muslim emperor.

The BJP played an instrumental role in public campaigning that eventually led to the mosque's demolition.

The destruction presaged the rise of the BJP and Modi as unstoppable electoral juggernauts, displacing the secularist Congress party that had governed India almost without interruption since independence from Britain.

Modi's consecration of the temple alongside Hindu priests will again project him as a defender of the faith ahead of a general election expected to begin in April.

The BJP is heavily favoured to win a third successive landslide victory, in part because of Modi's appeals to Hindu nationalism, and opposition parties are boycotting the temple ceremony, saying the event will be a thinly veiled campaign rally.

Many of India's 200 million Muslims, already anxious in a climate of increased sectarian tensions, have watched the clamour around the temple with trepidation.

Mohammed Shahid, 52, speaking to AFP last month in Ayodhya, recounted how his father was burned alive by a mob.

"For me, the temple symbolises nothing but death and destruction", he said.

[gobind-631]

…[Note no 3.8]…

Koi keh raha tha..

Him:Pichle lok sabha main up main joh results rahe the inn results ko dekh kuch log keh rahe hai ki..yahan par in logon ke haar jaane ke Do hi karan ho sakte hai..

Pehle..shayad yaha par machines ko fix nahi kiya gaya tha..yeh soch kar ki yahan par toh humne Ram mandir banaya hai..toh yahan par toh hame waise bhi jeetna hi  jeetne hai..toh yahan pe machines ko fix karne ki waise bhi kuch khas zarrorat nahi..toh ho sakta hai overconfidence ke chalte yahan par inhone machines ko fix nahi kiya tha..surprised se yeh log tab hue jab veh yahan se haar gaye..(Ayodhya ..aur aas paas ke ilake main bhi hare the)..yeh result ek tarah se reality check jaisa tha inke liye ki..aise lag raha tha manlo jaise log inko keh rahe ho..ki rozi roti vegera ..yeh sab mudde hamare liye zyada mayne rakhte hai..

Doosra karan yeh bhi ho sakta hai ki yahan par machines fix hone ko the..lekin inke kisi apne ne hi inhe dhokla de diya tha..Sm main kuch logon ko yeh bhi kehte hue suna hai maine..

Kuch log toh yeh bhi keh rahe hai ki veh darahsal varnasi haar gaye the ..lekin gadbad ki gayi..main nahi maanta yeh wali baat personally..lekin ek baat toh hai nazdeeki mamla raha tha yah walla..

Phir woh kehne laga..

Sir ji opposition wale zyad khush na ho in Lok Sabha wale results ko lekar..

Poore  election ka result  ruling walon ke hisab se hi chala hai shayad (state wise speaking)..bas up ke chalte (jahan par inko aise results ki ummed nahi thi)..yeh nazdeeki mamla banngaya..maan liya jaye..agar up main waise hi aate jiska ki yeh log ummed lagaye baithe the..tab inke total  seats 320 …330 ki range main hoti..

Yeh figure aisa hai jisko leke opposition wale bhi khush hote(woh sochte 400 ka bol rahe the 320-330 main hi sim at kar reh gaye..toh ek tarah se moral victory hogayi inki..haha..320 aisa total hai jisse ruling wale bhi khush ho jaate..kehte..teesre baar aaye hai phir bhi 330 seats paye hai)..400 bolte the lekin inka asli target shayad 330 ka tha..yeh ek aisa number hai jisse dono side khush hojaate..aur third term bina kisi suspicion ya controversy ke shuru ho jaata inka(lekin up ke faux pas ne lagta hai inka khel bigaad diya)..koi nahi suspect karta ki elections ko rig kiya gaya hai..aur isi tarah silsila badta agle elections ki aur..bina kisi ke inn machines ko leke shaq ke..

B.Yeh rigging wali baat main isiliye keh raha hoon ki do reports nikali gayi hai jismain yeh sunne main aaya hai..saaf saaf demonstrate kiya gaya hai ki ..73 to 80 seats yeh log manipulation ki vajah se jeete hai..

Links of two reports..paste..

Pata nahi kitni sachchai hai inn reports ki lekin shaq toh aaya hai..congress ne pata nahi kuch action Kyon nahi liya inn reports ko padh kar ..agar tanik si bhi sachchai hai inn reports main kahi gayi baaton main..toh sir ji aap toh jeet chuke ho..phir Kyon chup baithe ho..kya majboori hai..aap hi ke liye mandate ..aap hi kya iski raksha nahi karoge kya..

Public ki bhi zimmedari banti hai waise..apne khud diye gaye mandate ki raksha karne ki..

Bhai..ab toh aise lagne laga hai( khas kar Hariyan election ke natijon ko dekh kar ) ki.. aaj tak hum socha karte the ki mithya prachar/propogand vegera ko deploy karke yeh log narrative building vegera main lage rehte hai.. jiski vajah se log( inki propaganda main aa kar)inhe aksar jitaa diya karte hai.. lekin ab lag raha hai ki sab kuch pehle se hi tai rehta hai ki kaunse states ko humko jeetna hai.. aur kaunse walon ko hame de dena hai( ie jahan par ho sake toh machines processes vegera se zyada chchedkhani nahi karna hai..de dena hai.. taaki lage ki sab kuch theek hai wrt machines n processes)..

aur prachar toh keval isiliye kiya jaata raha hai.. taake inn aane wale fixed results ko aasani se digest /accept kar sake..( yeh propaganda material darahsal aap ko ready karva raha hota hai inn aane wale results ke liye.. aise results ke tarah tarah ke karan bata kar ie impending fixed results ko justify karpane ke hisab se.. haha..

Me:sir ji woh reports looser logon ki reports hai..haar ka samna  nahi kar pa rahe hai yeh log/kuch log..opposition propaganda hi samjho inn reports koz..aap ko kya lagta hai..agar aisi reports main zara si bhi sachchai hoti..toh kya citizenry inn reports ko yuun hi jaane deti..nahi na..na hi opposition jaane deta inn reports ko..challenge karta inn logon ko inn reports ke basis par…woh bhi jaanta hai koi tatv hi nahi aisi baaton mai…

Kya kuch log jaan bhooj ke aise reports nikal rahe hai..taaki aise reports ki aad main ballot papers ki maang rakhi ja sake..agar aisa hai toh yeh theek nahi..aur bhi tarike hote hai apne iss wale maang ko samne rakhne ke… main nahi keh raha aisi maange najayaz hai ..mind u..lekin sahi tarike ko bhi toh apnaya ja sakta hai aisi cheezon ke liye..bharosa rakhna chahiye citizenry ko ki sab kuch theek hai..shayad sc ne bhi apne kisi verdict main yeh wali baat kahi hai..

Ek aur baat..

Bhai ..bura nahi manna..aap jaise log(liberals/elitests/works/leftists kisam ke log.. i mean)..”looser kahinke”..types jaise log hote ho..aise lag raha hai aaj kal..

Accept hi nahi karpate ho apni haar ko..haar se sabak lena toh door..

Lagta hai langde ghodo ko back karne ka guilt aap logon se aise karvata hai..

Ab aap ki baaton ko sunn kar aise lag raha hai jaise ki…aap logo ke andar shayad ek aur khoobi (bhi) hoti hai/maujood hoti hai…jisse main pehle vakif nahi tha..woh khoobi…aap log(aap ki baaton ko sunn kar aise lag raha hai jaise)aksar dono taraf se bhi rote ho…ie..jaise hi natije aate honge kisi election ke..aap logon ka shayad ek ajeebo ghareeb sa do tarfa rona dhona shuru ho jaata hoga…

Haar  main toh rote hi rote ho..accept nahi karpate haar wale natijo ko..lekin nayi baat aaj yeh seekhne ko mili hai(aap se baat karke) ki aap log apni jeet pe bhi shyad aksar roya hi karte ho..ise bhi accept nahi karpate ho aap log..iss baat main bhi/apni jeet main bhi conspiracy dikhai deti hai/hogi aap logon ko shayad.

Apni victory main bhi conspiracy dikhai deti hai aap logon ko..ab kya kiya jaa sakta hai....aap jaise logon ka ..aur aap jaiso ke dwara backed leaders ka ..waise kuch nahi ho sakta ..pucca samjho iss baat ko aap bhai..

Ek aur baat bhai..machines aur processes ko hack nahi kiya jaata hai..aap bharosa rakhe..yeh sab hare hue logon ka propagana hai aur kuch nahi bhai..

Inko bola jaye saboot dikhaya jaye..nahi hoga koi saboot inke paas ..kyon ki aisa kuch ho hi nahi raha…aur ek aur baat..woh apno ne dhoka diya ..pata hai woh wali baat kya hai..bhai shayad woh log unn logon ko apna keh rahe the..jinke liye mandir banaya gaya tha…toh shyad complain vegera kar rahe the ki bhai..mandir banaya tha aap logon ke liye..phir bhi vote nahi diya humlogon ko aap logon ne...

Toh ek taraha se inn logon ko thage jaane jaise mehsoos ho raha hoga ..isiliye aise keh reh the yeh log shyad..(joh shyad khas galat bhi nahi)…

******

PS:

Woh dono reports ke links nahi mil rahe toh paste nahi kar raha yahan pe..

Woh Varanasi wali baat..SM vegera main mujhe yaad padta hai kaafi chalayi gayi thi..(jab natije aaye the)…tatvheen baatien hai saari ki saari..opposition propaganda hi raha hoga ..aur kuch nahi..

Overall..woh joh keh rahe hai..iss se ek cheez ka saaf pata chal jaata hai..yahan par bhi..woh yeh hai..

Kai baar aap jab kisi cheez ko samajh nahi paate ho..tab aap ka dimaag uss baat ko samajh paane ke liye..tarah tarah ki kahaniya gadh sakta hai..waise insaani propensity hi samjho aap..iss baat ko..

Isi baat ko saaf darshate hue dekha ja sakta hai inhe bhi..yahan par..

Kaafi naive(politically speaking) maloom hota hai yeh vyakti..agar post poll analysis ko theek se sunte..tab inhe apni sab baaton ka jawab usi waqt mil jaata….lekin kehne wale toh aajkal inn pollsters ko bhi anaap shanaap kehte rehte hai..ab iss main kya kiya ja sakta hai..hai na?..

[angel0news]

BJP's 'Bal Buddhi' Re-Plug On Rahul Gandhi's Ram Janmabhoomi Movement Claim

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement led by BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani has drawn a sharp response, with the BJP doubling down on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "childish mind" jab at Mr Gandhi.

BJP veteran and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described Rahul Gandhi as "bal buddhi" (childish) and accused him of "spreading confusion and lies".

"Rahul Gandhi is a childish person who has not matured yet. He has not yet become the Leader of the Opposition properly. He says we (INDIA bloc) defeated the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Rahul ji, Ram is our existence, our ideal, our life, our God, and Ram is the identity of India," Mr Chouhan told reporters.

Referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, he said, "This movement has thrown the Congress out of power many times and paved the way for the construction of a divine and grand temple, but Rahul Gandhi only lies."

Mr Chouhan also accused Mr Gandhi of lying in Parliament about Agniveer martyrs and the government of not providing a Minimum Support Price.

"He (Rahul) knows nothing else other than lying and spreading confusion. That is why this 'Bal Buddhi' person Rahul Gandhi keeps saying anything that comes to his mind. No one understands how he was able to defeat the (Ram Mandir) movement.

"Just saying whatever comes to mind has become the tendency of the Congress. Under his (Rahul Gandhi) leadership, the Congress will invite only misfortune," he added.

BJP leaders have been infantilising Mr Gandhi and saying he has a "childish mind" after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "balak buddhi" jab at the Congress MP, now Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

The remarks in question were made by the Congress leader during his visit to Ahmedabad. He was speaking about the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat -- of which Ayodhya is a part -- by Congress ally Samajwadi Party.

"By defeating the BJP in Ayodhya, INDIA bloc has defeated the Ram Mandir movement that was launched by the BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani. What I am saying is something very big… Congress party and INDIA bloc defeated them in Ayodhya," Mr Gandhi said Saturday.

The Rath Yatra was launched by Mr Advani to shore up support for the construction of a temple at the site in Ayodhya believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram. The yatra was taken out in 1990 and multiple communal clashes were reported along its route. Two years later, the 16th century Babri Masjid located at the Ayodhya site was demolished by Hindu activists who believed it was built on the ruins of an ancient temple to mark Ram's birthplace. Nearly three decades later, a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for a construction of a Ram Temple at the site.

With the BJP playing up the Ram temple construction in its election campaign, the Faizabad election was keenly watched, and the BJP's defeat there was a key talking point on result day.

While speaking in Ahmedabad, Mr Gandhi also claimed that the BJP would be defeated in its stronghold Gujarat in the 2027 state polls. "Together we are going to defeat them in Gujarat. We will defeat Narendra Modi and BJP in Gujarat just like we defeated them in Ayodhya," Mr Gandhi said.

This would be quite a task because in the 2022 election, the BJP swept the state, winning 156 of the 182 Assembly seats and the Congress managed just 17.

Mr Gandhi's remarks also drew the criticism of Chirag Paswan, Union Minister and leader of BJP's ally Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas).

Responding to the Congress leader's remarks, he said, "First up of all, Rahul Gandhi should learn it is Faizabad Lok Sabha, not Ayodhya. Ayodhya is a Vidhan Sabha constituency and is part of it. In such cases, if they think Ayodhya's win is big for them, then we are also analysing our mistakes and working towards it. They couldn't even cross the mark of 100+ seats in Lok Sabha and are claiming big things, I think their pride won't stay for long. In upcoming days, there are elections in various states, the results will show how strong NDA is."

[newnewz]

PM Modi Claims Previous Congress Regimes Planned 15% Budget Allocation for Minorities

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the former Congress-led UPA government of advocating for a significant portion of the budget, around 15%, to be allocated exclusively for minorities. Speaking at a rally in Pimpalgaon, Nashik, Modi criticized this proposal, emphasizing his opposition to budgetary segregation based on religion. He pledged to safeguard against any such division and affirmed his commitment to maintaining reservation policies based on socio-economic criteria rather than religion.

Modi described the concept of dividing the budget along religious lines as perilous and accused the Congress of displaying bias towards minority communities. He recounted his strong dissent against then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s proposal during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, underscoring his steadfast stance against budgetary allocations based on religious grounds.

The rally, held in support of Mahayuti candidates ahead of the Phase 5 Lok Sabha polls, saw Modi endorsing Union Minister Bharati Pawar and Hemant Godse among others. He lambasted the Congress for allegedly prioritizing religious-based reservation over the interests of marginalized communities, citing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s opposition to such practices.

Highlighting the achievements of his government, Modi contrasted the perceived insecurity during previous Congress regimes with the improved security situation under his leadership. He cited instances of terrorism and instability prevalent during Congress rule and credited his administration with implementing measures to enhance national security, including surgical strikes and air strikes against terrorist threats.

In a swipe at the opposition alliance, particularly the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Modi predicted a resounding victory for the BJP while questioning the electoral prospects of the Congress and its allies. He criticized the alliance, labeling the Shiv Sena as “fake” and accusing it of deviating from the principles espoused by its founder, late Bal Thackeray.

Modi condemned the alleged reluctance of the opposition parties to support initiatives such as the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. He accused the Shiv Sena of betraying its ideological legacy and likened its actions to those of the Congress, highlighting what he perceived as a disregard for Hindu sentiments and national interests.

In his address, Modi rallied support for the BJP while portraying the opposition alliance as a threat to the state’s welfare and integrity. He urged voters to reject the alleged opportunism of the opposition parties and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to serving the nation’s interests above all else.

[rajexpress-seo]

Why Not Devotion Like Eid For Ram Temple? Assam CM Asked Gaurav Gogoi.

Indian Politics News In Hindi

Assam CM has raised questions over Gaurav Gogoi offering namaz on Eid, but not attending the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha program.

Political News In Hindi:

Gaurav Gogoi did not attend the Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha program. Was protesting with Rahul Gandhi in Assam. Gaurav Gogoi had offered namaz on the day of Eid.

Rajneeti Samachar

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Gaurav Gogoi: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken a dig at Congress' Assam Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi. During a conversation with the media on Friday, Assam CM raised questions over Gaurav Gogoi offering namaz on Eid but not attending the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha program. Apart from this, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our leaders congratulate people on all festivals.

Gaurav Gogoi was seen offering Namaz on the day of Eid

Pictures of Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi offering Eid namaz were revealed. At the same time, Gaurav Gogoi along with all the opposition leaders did not participate in the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha program held in Ayodhya on 22 January. During this time he was protesting with Rahul Gandhi. Now on this issue, Assam CM has cornered Gaurav Gogoi and raised questions on his double conduct.

Why is there no devotion for Ram temple like that of Eid?

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said about Gaurav Gogoi – Gaurav knows the correct posture of offering Namaz. I don't know where he learned this. But the question here is, why did he not show the same devotion during Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha that he has shown during Eid? When Prana Pratistha was taking place, he was fighting the administration and breaking the law while living next to Rahul Gandhi on the streets of Assam. Gogoi gave clarification - Latest News On Politics Gaurav Gogoi has also clarified on the allegations of Himanta Biswa Sarma. Gaurav Gogai told that on January 22, on the day of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha program, he was in Batdrav police station (Nagaon). Gogoi accused CM Sarma of insulting Batadrava police station and disrespecting the principles of Shankardev. Apart from this he said that we respect Shankardev, hence opposed him. Let us tell you that Batadrava police station is a pilgrimage area in Nagaon, Assam, where saint and social reformer Shankardev was born.

[momental]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled a long-standing dream on Monday by presiding over the opening of the Ram Mandir, a Hindu temple in Ayodhya. He described it as the 'beginning of a new era' during the temple's inaugural ceremony. The temple's construction marks a decisive break with secularism in India, as it was built on the site where a four-hundred-year-old mosque, Babri Masjid, once stood before being destroyed by a mob in 1992.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a paramilitary organization, were aligned with the mob that destroyed the mosque. Both the BJP and RSS envision India as a Hindu nation, despite its large Muslim population. In 2019, after a legal dispute, the Supreme Court of India allowed for the construction of the Hindu temple on the disputed site.

Modi's involvement in the temple goes back several decades when he was a young Hindu activist raising funds for its construction. Now, as the Prime Minister in his second consecutive term, the completion of the temple is likely to be a centerpiece of his future election campaigns.

In an interview with essayist and historian Mukul Kesavan, they discussed Modi's popularity, the violent history of the Ayodhya dispute, and what sets India apart from other countries experiencing right-wing political movements.

In 1925, the R.S.S. was founded as a nationalist organization with a Hindu majoritarianism focus. It aimed to create a unifying ideology for the diverse subcontinent of India. The R.S.S. felt alienated from the Congress Party and its anti-colonial nationalism. The Congress Party viewed India as a human jungle with diverse communities, while the R.S.S. and Hindu-majoritarian movements wanted a more homogenous nationalism. The Ram Mandir, a Hindu temple, played a significant role in the rise of the B.J.P. and the political mobilization of Indians. The R.S.S. has always had the ambition to reconstitute the Indian Republic and believes that the soul of India was suppressed between 1947 and 1950 when the constitution was written. The Ram-temple movement, which began in the 1980s, was led by organizations affiliated with the R.S.S. and the B.J.P. The movement argued for the right of Hindus to worship at the site believed to be the birthplace of Ram. The state often ignored provocations related to the temple, either considering them too sensitive or too troublesome to address.

In 1992, the demolition of the Babri Masjid mosque in Ayodhya shocked the country. The building was brought down by hand with crude tools, causing massive communal violence. The leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.) claimed they didn't want this criminal act to happen, but the shock it caused was intense. Decades later, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of building a temple on the site. This ruling, while acknowledging the mosque's destruction as a criminal act, ultimately gave the land to the Hindu party. It is seen as a capitulation to Prime Minister Modi and the Hindu nationalist movement.

Source Link: How the Hindu Right Triumphed in India

[theuttarpradeshblog]

Ram Mandir Ayodhya – A dream comes true

Despite my trivial knowledge and the sea-like gravity of the theme of Sri Ram Mandir, By divine grace, I am prompted to pen down. Though I often write on social and travel-associated subjects, this is a herculean project for me to ponder over. A couple of days returned while. I was discussing the farmers’ agitation with my friends and co-workers in who found a real critic and seer, I was advised via Mr. Singh & Sunny to write down on Ram Mandir Ayodhya. Find divine tranquility in Best Dharamshalas in Ayodhya, offering a serene haven for seekers on a spiritual sojourn in the sacred city.

The History of Ram Mandir

Lord Ram for Hindus isn't always the best king or person but He is God and has a fantastic reverence for some of the Hindus. He is so famous that in ordinary greetings in North India, humans say “Ram Ram”. Ram is one of the pinnacle searched phrases on Google and other engines like Google.

Sri Ram Mandir has a protracted record. The Hindus consider that on the birthplace of Lord Sri Ram, there was an outstanding temple surpassing other temples. During the invasion of Babur and his rule, many antique temples have been demolished. On his behest, his commander Mir Baki demolished the antique Ram temple and erected a mosque on the website online.

After the crumble of Mughal rule in unfastened India, the Hindus had been clamoring for lengthy a grand Ram temple at the Mosque website. There were many cases filed in the local courtroom and the excessive court’s time to time. It became the regime of former congress Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi when the locks of the temple had been opened for prayers.

The time came while pinnacle B.J.P leaders underneath the management of Lal Krishna Advani led a mass movement called Car Seva. This circulate turned into supported by means of extraordinary Hindu organizations consisting of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS), and Millions of Sadhus of various Akharas.

It became the yr 1992 and the day changed to 6th December when VHP and B.J.P held a combined rally with extra than 2 lac volunteers. The Car Sevaks became uncontrolled and beneath the fashion, they tore the disputed structure to portions. The demolition of the shape led to communal and sectarian violence and nearly  2000 humans misplaced their lives.

Who is the leader architect of Ram Mandir?

 Chandrakant Sompura is The chief architect of Ram Mandir . This famous architect might be assisted by using his two sons – Nikhil and Ashish who are similarly celebrated architects. Sompura family has a long record and for the reason that generations, they are concerned with the tasks of more than 100 temples all around the globe. The structure of the divine temple will be in Nagar fashion and there will be little need for Iron as a result of rusting elements.

Construction Cost & Timings of Ram Mandir Ayodhya  

According to the ideal court docket, the nearby Administration surpassed a total land of 67.07 acres to the belief. Out of this land patch, 10 acres may be used for the development of the temple of Prabhu Sri Ram and the relaxation fifty-seven acres might be used for other services which include the prayer hall, guest houses, and the facilitation center. Immerse yourself in Ayodhya's sacred ambiance with a stay at the Best Hotels in Ayodhya, where spiritual harmony and genuine hospitality await.

This task will cost almost 1100 Crores of which three hundred to 400 crores are used for temple production and the rest seven hundred crores are used for other production and predicted to be finished in a stipulated term of three years. The Ram Mandir is proposed to be 161 ft excessive and 360 feet long. The width of the temple might be 235 toes beneath the principal sanction Ram Lala Vigrah will be gift.

Bhoomi Poojan of Ram Mandir

It was the auspicious day of 5 August 2020 when the Bhoomi Poojan ceremony of the Ram temple turned into held. On 4th August Ramcharan Puja was done in which foremost Gods and goddesses had been invoked. On the Bhoomi Puja ceremony, the soil and holy waters from Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kaveri, and lots of other famous Indian rivers were added. P.M Narender Modi formally did Bhoomi Pujan with the aid of laying 40 Kg silver brick in the foundation.

Supreme Court Verdict on Ram Mandir

There were such a lot of judgments by using the nearby courts and the Allahabad High court docket, but there was no unanimous selection. Finally, the ultimate courtroom of India had all of the pleas. After a long listening to technique, the honorable court gave a landmark judgment posing the manner for the construction of Ram Mandir at the disputed website online. Under the historical verdict, it was ordered to the middle to installation a consider in three months for the development of the temple. It also ordered the government to allot five acres of separate land to the Muslims to build a Mosque.

Sri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra

The government of India following the orders of the Apex court formed this agreement called Sri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra. Thus agree with the change to set for the development of the temple and incorporate 15 members including one Dalit Hindu. The committee, led by Chairman Mahant Nrityagopal Das and with Champat Rai serving as the General Secretary, plays a pivotal role in overseeing its diverse functions and responsibilities. Other individuals include Jagatguru Shankaracharya Jyothidpetha, Dr. Anil Mishra, Kameshwar Chaupal, and many others.

Sri Ram Mandir Nidhi Samaparan Abhiyan.

This is a massive donation campaign for the development of the Ram Mandir. Mr. Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Mandir Trust announced to release of this software on 15th January and it'll cease on the seventh Feb subsequent 12 months. The basic idea is to make it a Rashtra Mandir (National Temple) by way of getting assist from the special segments of society without any distinction of caste, creed, language, or faith. Just to make transparency the believe made coupon receipts of INR 10, one hundred, and one thousand. This program is not best constrained to India however also gaining recognition in neighboring nations like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and so forth.

How to Donate for Ram Mandir Ayodhya?

Under Nidhi Samaparan the volunteers are going door to door to acquire cash. The president of India donated Rs. 500000 for this cause. Similarly, numerous businessmen, politicians, college students, women, carrier elegance people, day by day wage earners, and spiritual heads make contributions cash to the temple.

The believe also made the availability for online donations. The price may be done at the price portal of the website of the trust. Three banks specifically SBI, P.N.B, and Bank of Baroda are also involved. You can effortlessly switch money by NEFT or R.T.G.S  and various other modes.

Lucknow to Ayodhya excursion itinerary

 07:00 Am In the morning after a healthful breakfast you may be driven to the magical town Ayodhya. You experience the geographical region on your private luxury automobile.

9:30 Am Upon attaining Ayodhya you can spare half an hour for tea or coffee and for this reason refresh yourself.

 10:00 Am Visit Hanuman Gadi Mandir- This temple is devoted to Lord Hanuman (Monkey God) who is splendid devoted to Lord Ram. In this temple, Lord Hanuman is depicted sitting inside the lap of his mom Anjani. The legends say that sitting in his mom’s lap is considered the strongest role. The other legend says that Hanuman lived in a cave over right here guarding Ram court docket or Janam Bhoomi. This temple is open from 6 am to 9 pm each day. You can make any desire for any place and later continue to go to any other highlight of the Ayodhya Tour.

11:00 Am Kanak Bhawan – This region is located at a stones throw from Hanuman Gadi. People consider that Lord Ram with his consort Maa Sita appeared right here the first time and this location turned into talented by way of his stepmother Kaikeyi to Sita as Mukh Dikhai. Thus Kaikeyi wanted to reveal that see also has the same motherly feelings to Ram as his real mother Koshaliya. This vicinity is likewise open each day from 6 am to 9 pm.

12:30 pm Lunchtime – Now it is time for a scrumptious lunch at a pure vegetarian restaurant.

02:00 pm Ram Janam Bhoomi Temple – This is a major highlight of the Ayodhya one-day tour. Here you get to have divine experience employing Darshan of Ram Lala (Ram as an infant). This temple is open in the morning 7 am to 11 am and from 2 pm to six pm.

03:15 pm Balmiki Ramayan Bhawan – Now walk to a more in-depth place called Balmiki Ramayan Bhawan. At this place, the couplets from the Balmiki Ramayan are engraved at the marble.

04:15 pm Guptar Ghat – If the time lets in and you prefer make a visit to the famed Ghat of Saryu river. It is assumed that Lord Ram took Jal Samadi here.                  

05:30 pm Departure to Lucknow- After taking part in your sightseeing of Ayodhya you have pushed again to Lucknow. Our driver will drop you at your inn/Airport.

Also Read:

Ayodhya Expedition: A Comprehensive Guide for Your Journey

Ayodhya Delights: Must-Visit Destinations for an Unforgettable Experience

[businessnewsupdates]

The Confluence of Faith and Politics: An Insight into the Diverse Invitees of the Ram Mandir Inauguration Ceremony

In what is anticipated to be a historic and culturally significant event, the ‘Pran Pratishta’ ceremony of Lord Ram’s idol in Ayodhya has garnered attention not only for its religious importance but also for its diverse and eclectic guest list. Scheduled for January 22, the ceremony marks the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and the invitees represent a unique blend of faith, politics, and global representation.

Over 7,000 individuals have received invitations, ranging from political figures and international guests to ordinary people who have made extraordinary contributions to the Mandir Movement. The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has meticulously curated this list, ensuring inclusivity and diversity.

The international guest list for the event underscores its global significance, with over 100 guests from 53 countries, including the US, the UK, Europe, Australia, and Africa. Among the distinguished invitees are oncologist Bharat Barai and Nokia Bell Labs-CTO fellow Abhay Asthana. Bharat Barai, known for his support of the BJP and efforts to strengthen India-Israel relations, notably lobbied for Narendra Modi’s visa clearance in 2014, overcoming a 10-year visa ban.

The ceremony also exemplifies inclusivity by extending an invitation to Iqbal Ansari, who fought a legal case in support of the Babri Masjid. Despite his past association with the mosque, Ansari has actively supported the construction of the Ram Mandir, symbolizing a collective move towards unity.

Another remarkable inclusion is Mohammed Habib, a Muslim karsevak who participated in the Ram Mandir agitation. His emotional response to the invitation reflects the historic nature of the consecration ceremony and the sense of unity it embodies.

The entertainment industry is well-represented by actors Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia, known for their iconic portrayal of Ram and Sita in the TV serial ‘Ramayan.’ Their presence adds a nostalgic touch, evoking memories of the widely watched show in the late 1980s.

Spiritual leaders, including Dalai Lama, Mata Amritanandamayi, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, and Jaggi Vasudev, will grace the occasion with their presence. Business tycoons like Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, and Ratan Tata, along with figures from Bollywood and cricket, further diversify the guest list.

However, the event has not been without its share of political complexities. The opposition, particularly the CPM and the Trinamool Congress, faces a dilemma over participation, with concerns about the politicization of religious belief. Even the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has chosen to stay away, labeling it a BJP political rally.

The Congress, a key constituent of the INDIA bloc, grapples with a challenging decision regarding its participation, wary of potential electoral repercussions. Invitations extended to senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, have added a political dimension to the event.

The meticulously designed invitations, comprising the main invitation card, a ‘Pran Pratishtha’ program card, and a booklet detailing the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement, reflect the elaborate nature of the ceremony. The schedule outlines the commencement of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ puja at 11:30 am on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the guests at 12:30 pm.

As the nation awaits this historic event with bated breath, the diverse guest list stands as a testament to the inclusivity and cultural richness surrounding the consecration of the Ram Mandir. The ceremony is poised to be a confluence of religious fervor, political significance, and global representation, embodying the essence of a unified India.

[mariacallous]

Last week, the Indian state of Uttarakhand passed a bill to adopt a controversial Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which will bring an end to religious or personal laws governing marriage, divorce, adoption, and inheritance, among other issues. The change will bring all communities together under a common law to regulate those practices. The new legislation has already faced pushback from Muslim leaders and other members of India’s political class.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hope that Uttarakhand will serve as a model for the introduction of a UCC across India, or at least across BJP-ruled states. Some of these states, including Assam and Modi’s home state of Gujarat, are already considering their own UCC bills and are keen to use the Uttarakhand code as a template, although they may tweak the legislation to address local needs. Despite its seeming impartiality, the UCC pushed by the BJP would be a threat to India’s religious pluralism.

The idea of a UCC has long caused consternation among India’s religious minorities, especially Muslims. Muslim politicians and religious leaders have suggested a UCC would amount to unwarranted interference in their community’s norms, especially when it comes to specific legal protections related to marriage, divorce, and inheritance. The Uttarakhand code even regulates live-in relationships—a clear nod to conservative Hindus, many of whom frown on such arrangements.

These critics’ misgivings are not without merit. The BJP has long pursued three contentious goals that impinge disproportionately on the interests of the Muslim community: the abolition of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which granted special autonomous status to the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir; the construction of a Hindu temple in the city of Ayodhya on the site of a mosque demolished by a Hindu mob in 1992; and the adoption of a nationwide UCC. It achieved the first goal in 2019, and the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is not yet complete but was consecrated last month.

However, the idea of a UCC goes back decades to India’s foundations as an independent state. The subject was extensively debated by the constituent assembly that helped forge India’s constitution in 1949, but it was not resolved. Owing to the sensitivities of religious communities, most notably Muslims, no government was willing to tackle the politically fraught question. So why is it the unabashedly pro-Hindu BJP government—and not one controlled by the Indian National Congress party, which is committed to secularism—that has taken up the issue of the UCC? The answer requires a bit of historical exegesis.

The prevalence of separate personal laws for different religious communities in India can be traced to a colonial-era regulation. Warren Hastings, then the governor of Bengal and later the first British governor-general of India, directed in 1772 that “in all suits regarding inheritance, marriage, caste and other religious usages and institutions, the laws of the Koran with respect to the Mahomedans and those of the Shaster with respect to Gentoos [Hindus] shall be invariably adhered to.” In 1937, the British Raj enacted the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, which codified Islamic law for marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance, and other family affairs.

Those who drafted the Indian Constitution debated the necessity of a UCC, with most Muslim members against it. One of the principal architects of the constitution, B.R. Ambedkar, argued that if India could have a common criminal code, it could also have common personal laws, and suggested that a uniform civil code initially be voluntary. The framers instead settled for Article 44, a set of non-justiciable directives that range from prohibiting cow slaughter to curbing liquor consumption. It also called on the Indian state to endeavor toward a UCC for its citizens.

During Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s first term (1952-1957), the Congress party succeeded in codifying Hindu personal law through four pieces of legislation in the face of opposition. Conservative forces decried the move to meddle with Hindu personal laws, while reformists wondered why the changes were restricted to Hindus alone. But when asked about a uniform civil code, Nehru said that the time was not ripe for it.

The matter largely remained unaddressed until 1978, when Shah Bano—a recently divorced Muslim woman—sued her former husband in a lower court in central India for not providing alimony in accordance with the Indian penal code. The local court awarded Bano monthly basic maintenance, which was later increased by a high court. Bano’s husband, Mohammed Ahmad Khan, later challenged the matter before the Indian Supreme Court. Khan contended that he was not obliged to support his former wife under Muslim personal law because he had paid a dowry and three months’ maintenance.

In 1985, the Supreme Court not only rejected Khan’s appeal, but also came out in support of a nationwide UCC. At the time, Chief Justice of India Y.V. Chandrachud—the father of the current chief justice—asked why Article 44 remained a “dead letter,” noting that the Indian state lacked the “political courage” to enact a UCC. The judgment created a firestorm, especially among the Muslim community.

The Congress government led by then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi responded by passing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act in 1986, which said that maintenance had to be paid only for the waiting period for a widowed or divorced woman, usually three months—effectively nullifying the Supreme Court ruling. The new law doused the controversy for the moment, but it also opened up the Congress government to charges of so-called minority appeasement. Today, the BJP tends to characterize the Congress party and others as placating Muslims and other religious minorities in the name of secularism.

Since the Shah Bano case, several court rulings have whittled away at Muslim personal law—but none more so than the 2017 Supreme Court ruling that determined the practice of instant triple talaq to be unconstitutional. The ruling came in response to women’s petitions challenging the practice, in which Muslim men can divorce their wives by uttering “talaq” (divorce) three times in quick succession. Indians across the political spectrum welcomed the judgment for advancing women’s rights, but some observers saw it as another step toward a UCC. The BJP government followed up with the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act in 2019, which made triple talaq a punishable offense.

The UCC indeed has the potential to bolster women’s rights in India by doing away with the anachronistic traditions of some religious groups. But improving the lot of Indian women does not appear to be what drives the BJP. Instead, the party’s pursuit of a UCC appears to be an attempt to stigmatize a particular faith under the guise of enhancing the status of women. (After all, if the BJP were truly concerned about women’s autonomy, it would not have sought to ban the dubious concept of love jihad, which suggests that Muslim men insidiously entice Hindu women into marrying them under questionable circumstances.)

Uttarakhand’s adoption of a UCC is a step toward fulfilling one of the BJP’s key election promises and a staple of its manifestos for the last three decades. Goa is the only other state that currently has a UCC, but its common law dates to the 19th century, when the state was under Portuguese rule. Despite efforts in other BJP-ruled states, a nationwide UCC may be some time away. Still, both Modi and Indian Home Minister Amit Shah have spoken about the idea, with Shah saying recently that the BJP “remains steadfast in bringing in UCC.”

India’s current political climate is far more amenable to the idea of a UCC than in the past. Modi and the BJP are very popular, and unlike the Congress party, they do not rely on Muslim voters to win elections. However, the situation is complicated by the fact that other religious minority groups such as Sikhs, as well as indigenous communities and the Dalit community, feel the potential of a UCC to infringe on religious and cultural rights. (The Uttarakhand code exempts the indigenous peoples of the state, who make up 3 percent of the state population but are present in greater numbers elsewhere.)

The BJP has succeeded in achieving its long-held goals in Indian-administered Kashmir and in Ayodhya. India’s national election is swiftly approaching, and the Modi government has a seemingly inexorable commitment to its Hindu nationalist agenda. If it returns to power this spring with a clear-cut parliamentary majority, the implementation of a nationwide UCC will likely figure prominently in its political priorities, pushing back against what remains of India’s commitment to religious pluralism.