Temple movement - no let up in mass support

Author: Shyam Khosla
Publication: Organiser
Date: October 26, 2003

Introduction: Arrests & lathi-charge couldn't deter Rambhakts

Massive turn out of Ram bhakts from all over the country in response-to VHP's call has once again proved that the Ayodhya movement has not peaked.  On the other hand, it is spreading both socially as well as geographically.  In the early 90s, the movement was largely confined to north and west India.  This time around, thousands of Ram bhakts from southern states like Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala traveled long distance to participate in the movement. Most of them were arrested by U.P. Government at Allahabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Ayodhya and dozens of other cities and town of the state.  "Secularists" are shocked and bewildered.  Their illusion that the movement has run out of steam has been shattered.  What has baffled the "secularists" more is that a large number of vanvasis from the tribal belts of M.P., Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and the northeastern states participated in the latest round of agitation launched by the VHP.  Blinded by hatred of Hindus, the "secularists" fail to see that Ayodhya is not a Hindu-Muslim dispute.  It is a movement for the restoration of national honour and dignity.  That is why the masses fired with the spirit of patriotism are backing the movement and are prepared to make sacrifices to achieve their goal.  The "secularists" deserve to be condemned in the strongest terms for vitiating the atmosphere by arousing communal passions over the "Sankalp Sabhas". They sought to project the movement as "communal" in a bid to appease the Muslims in utter disregard of VHP' repeated assertions that the movement will remain peaceful.  The VHP's plan was to hold "Sankalp Sabhas" at Delhi, Lucknow and to proceed to Ayodhya to hold a similar "Sankalp Sabha" there and have darshan of Ram " lalla".  It was meant to be a reiteration of the Rain bhakts' resolve to build the temple.  It is a mass awareness campaign to create a strong public opinion in favour of a central legislation to resolve the dispute. VHP deserves to be commanded for its peaceful agitation. There were minor aberrations here and there but, by and large, VHP cadres exercised great restraint and remained peaceful despite provocation.  They courted arrest by defying the prohibitory orders.  What is it if not peaceful Satyagraha?  None other than Mulayam Singh has gone on record to state that VHP cadres were peaceful and exercised restraint.  He announced that Ram bhakts arrested in different parts of the state would be released immediately and taken to Ayodhya for darshans.  If that were so, what was the justification for indiscriminate arrests and intimidation?  Why was Ayodhya converted into a fortress?  Why were Ram bhakts prevented from entering the holy city and having darshans?  Ashok Singhal, one of the most respected leaders of the movement, couldn't be prevented from reaching Karsevakpuram despite all the "bandobast" by the Government.  The police had the audacity to manhandle him and prevent him from proceeding to the make shift temple.  It is a measure of the determination of the Ram bhakts that several thousands of them entered the holy city defying hurdles put in their way.  A large number of Ram bhatks led by Ramvilas Vedanti held a brief "Sankalp Sabha" at the Karsevakpuram before they were arrested by the police.  Earlier, the VHP held a "Sankalp Sabha" at Lucknow that was addressed by Acharya Giri Raj Kishore.  He and all others who participated in it were arrested.  The rally at Delhi was peaceful.  No untoward incident took place.  That proved beyond a shadow of doubt that VHP's intentions are noble and it only wants the Government to heed to its demand.  The Central Government took a principled stand.  The Prime Minister said VHP needs to be trusted that its programme would be peaceful.  Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishan Advani repeatedly advised the State Government to release all those arrested and observed that indiscriminate arrests might provoke Ram bhakts.  Union Minister of State for Home, Swami Chinmayanand, played an extremely useful role in establishing a liaison between the UP Government and the VHP.  Vinay Katiyar, President of the UP unit of the BJP, too did all he could to avert a confrontation between the State Government and the VHP.  He too demanded release of all Ram bhakts and removal of all hurdles in their going to the temple town to participate in the "Sankalp Sabha" and darshan.  The Centre scoffed rumours that trains had been cancelled or diverted to prevent Ram bhakts from reaching Ayodhya.  The Centre was in constant touch with UP Government in a bid to dissuade it from using excessive force against Rambhakts.  Mulayam Singh changed his stance several times.  This lent credence to the perception that he was keen to avoid a confrontation with Hindus but was under tremendous pressure from his Muslim vote bank to act against the peaceful Ram bhakts.  His initial response was that no one would be allowed to enter Ayodhya.  Later, he mellowed down and said his Government would not use force against Ram bhakts and would regulate the flow of Ram bhakts for a darshan at the make shift temple.  But things didn't work out the way he had promised.  His Government asked the Centre to divert trains passing through Ayodhya, imposed restrictions on the movement of people in Ayodhya and its surrounding districts and raided Karsevakpuram and countless places all over the state to make indiscriminate arrests.  The police resorted to an unprovoked cane charge on peaceful volunteers who detrained at Ayodhya on the D-day.  State Government's offer to allow the "Sankalp Sabha" outside Ayodhya was unacceptable to the VHP.  It insisted on holding it at Karsevakpuram.  Heavens wouldn't have fallen if the Government had not disrupted the gathering.  The State Government is guilty of denying the Hindus their democratic right to hold a peaceful protest.  Whatever the detractors may say, VHP has achieved all the three major objectives with which it launched its latest round of agitation.  First, it has brought the Ayodhya issue on the centre stage.  Secondly, it has demonstrated that the temple movement continues to enjoy mass support all over the country.  Thirdly, it has shown that its movement is peaceful and that its cadres can restrain themselves even in face of grave provocation.  On its part, the Centre too played its cards well.  The BJP has sent a strong signal to its supporters about where it sympathies lie.  Mulayam Singh too has managed to maintain a balance of sorts by pleasing his Muslim supporters without being too harsh to Hindus.  However, the Congress, the Left parties and the likes of V.P. Singh who demanded stringent action against peaceful Ram bhakts have been exposed as what they are - anti-Hindus.  The Congress demand for a nation wide ban on VHP is ridiculous and motivated by partisan interests.  The party will have to pay a heavy political price for its minorityism.
 

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