Ayodhya Ram-Temple: Sacrifices Galore

While the nation solemnly rejoices in the return of Ram lalla to his janmasthan, the long struggle and the many sacrifices of the BJP and the RSS karyakartas over the decades must not be forgotten.

Keywords: Ram Janmabhoomi case | Kar Sevaks | Indian Politics | Role of Congress | Media | Ram Rath Yatra Movement | Election Manifesto | PM Modi | Bhoomi Pujan

August 5^th 2020 remains a historic day in the annals of India’s history. On this day, millions of eager Indians witnessed the Bhoomi Pujan of the long-awaited Ram Temple in Ayodhya performed by none other than the Prime Minister of the nation, Shri Narendra Modi. Despite the Covid-19 fears, Hon’ble PM fulfilled the long-cherished desire of Hindus not only in India but throughout the world. The end of the patient wait was even sweeter as the day had come after a long drawn legal process. The judgement was read to the satisfaction of both the claimant parties. As expected there were minor dissenting voices but those are not unexpected in a vibrant democracy like ours. 

The settlement of the Ayodhya Temple issue peacefully, by and large, must go to the credit of the ruling party. The Ayodhya Ram Temple is also the result of the immense sacrifice of the many Kar Sevaks from the RSS & the VHP cadres who gave their lives to this cause. The RSS had continued an extensive campaign for the Ram Temple construction while being subject to much vilification and calumny from all sides. Yet they patiently bore the brunt and struggled valiantly for years, on the ground and in the courts, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas-sants to liberate the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.  

Pushed to the wall now the Congress admits that Lord Ram is the foremost cultural icon of this country.

In the whole process, the opposition parties, mainly the Congress, constantly tried to insert spokes in the wheel of the temple construction efforts. In UPA I & II, Congress was quite muted on the subject. Today it has nothing to gloat over. The opening of the temple-doors for entry by Rajiv Gandhi for Shilanyas in the late 80s was only an eye-wash, for it was never accepted by the party or the cadre as a step to resolve the dispute. Never ever did Congress as a party enunciate publicly that they had done so with the intention of respecting Hindu sentiments which in their secular psyche has been entirely irrelevant. 

Pushed to the wall now the Congress admits that Lord Ram is the foremost cultural icon of this country. We must not forget today how the BJP for decades had to bear humiliations and condemnations for supporting the cause of the Ram Temple. It almost became a political pariah, left with no allies in the political arena. Opposition parties ranted that the BJP was communal, revivalist, revanchist, bigoted, and could not be touched even with a bargepole. In many states, for this reason, BJP found no alliances in the states-assembly elections.

We must not forget today how the BJP for decades had to bear humiliations and condemnations for supporting the cause of the Ram Temple. It almost became a political pariah, left with no allies in the political arena.

It was only during the Ram Rath Yatra movement of 1990 led by BJP leader L K Advani (in which the current Prime Minister was an enthusiastic participant) that the aspirations of millions of Hindus found a dominant voice in the public discourse. However, after the demolition of the Babri structure on 6^th December 1992, the party’s woes were writ large. The RSS was imminently banned (by the Congress Government) on Dec 10. The Kalyan Singh-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh was dismissed and losing the largest state was a heavy blow to the party. The dismissal of the UP Govt was however expected after the catastrophic demolition of the Babri-structure. But without any rhyme or reason, on December 15, the Congress government also dismissed the three BJP- ruled state governments of Himachal, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh under Art-356. When asked regarding the necessity of this move the then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao had answered that the dismissal was motivated by the apprehension that the state governments would not implement a ban decreed by the centre on the RSS.  It could be conclusively stated that the BJP and RSS paid heavily for standing up for the Hindu cause.

The dismissal of the UP Govt was however expected after the catastrophic demolition of the Babri-structure. But without any rhyme or reason, on December 15, the Congress government also dismissed the three BJP- ruled state governments of Himachal, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh under Art-356. 

Earlier in 1990, Mulayam Singh Yadav had even ordered the police of the state to openly shoot Kar Sevaks in the Temple premises. In the aftermath of Babri-demolition, the Left and other regional political party satraps blamed the PV Narasimha Rao-led Congress government for not doing enough. PV Narasimha Rao cleverly maintained that the Centre had been bound by the Constitution and that the Constitution did not allow the Centre to move against a state government merely on apprehensions.  

Earlier in 1990, Mulayam Singh Yadav had even ordered the police of the state to openly shoot Kar Sevaks in the Temple premises.

This was the time when India’s pseudo-secularism was in full swing. Shrill sloganeering from ivory towers continued unchecked. Some even predicted a second partition. Those voices came mainly from the Communists, the Congress and the English Press. Consequently, many BJP leaders were arrested and sent to jail without justification to satisfy the bloodthirsty and elitist media, which made no attempt at understanding the cultural aims of the movement. 

The idea that Shri Ram is more than a God, that he is the embodiment of Dharma, and the cultural-fountainhead of the nation, an idea which is so commonplace now, gathered strength in the national discourse in those years. 

Yet the BJP and the RSS remained steadfast to this national aspiration. The idea that Shri Ram is more than a God, that he is the embodiment of Dharma, and the cultural-fountainhead of the nation, an idea which is so commonplace now, gathered strength in the national discourse in those years. 

To the credit of the consistent efforts of the RSS and its affiliates, and the BJP, the Ram Janmabhoomi movement had become a grassroots one, a stupendous feat for an age still devoid of the internet or social media.

To the credit of the consistent efforts of the RSS and its affiliates, and the BJP, the Ram Janmabhoomi movement had become a grassroots one, a stupendous feat for an age still devoid of the internet or social media. The chant of Jai Shri Ram once again reverberated in the nooks and corners of the country in support of the Ayodhya-Temple. 

Many journalists derided the BJP saying that to the party, the mandir-masjid controversy remained more important than development and progress; a clear sign of the media’s disconnect from the emotional cultural aspirations of the masses.

And yet the struggle was long and hard. The court settlements were taking a substantial time and consecutive BJP governments lacked the numbers in the Parliament. Many journalists derided the BJP saying that to the party, the mandir-masjid controversy remained more important than development and progress; a clear sign of the media’s disconnect from the emotional cultural aspirations of the masses.

Today, the Prime Minister’s Bhoomi Pujan is the culmination of those years of wait and consistent efforts.  

For years together, many cynics among intellectuals and media claimed that the dream of a temple at Ayodhya would only remain BJP’s electioneering slogan. Whenever the BJP released the party manifesto before the General Elections, the immediate gleeful headline would be that the party had kept the Ayodhya-Temple issue at the back-burner. Back or front, the commitment to the people kept smouldering at the centre of the party’s agenda. Today, the Prime Minister’s Bhoomi Pujan is the culmination of those years of wait and consistent efforts.  Ram Rajya is finally a reality for India.