VHP line is flawed, foil any mischief
Much has been said about “match-fixing” between the Sangh Parivar and the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh in the context of the “84-kosi parikrama” that was launched by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a component of the RSS-led ideological grouping (along with the BJP).
The allegation may or may not be true, although in the pre-election season the VHP programme allows for a communal mobilisation of Hindus and at the same time permits the state’s ruling party to appear to be protective of the Muslim community in the face of political provocation.
However, this is not the foremost aspect of what transpired in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, which included the preventive arrest of top VHP leaders and cadres from the Ayodhya region and other places. Indeed, the most noteworthy dimension of the VHP’s “parikrama”, or religious perambulation programme, is that it was conceived at all, given the dubious history of December 1992.
The “parikrama” is traditionally organised in April-May (Chaitra-Baisakh, according to the Hindu calendar) by the priests of the many temples dedicated to Lord Ram in Ayodhya. It is a strictly religious affair. This is why the out-of-season VHP effort found no favour with the priests of Ayodhya, including that of the controversial makeshift Ram temple, Satyen Das, who criticised it as being “political” in nature, Not many are buying the VHP’s line that the UP government’s action in banning and obstructing its programme infringes its religious freedom.
The plainly bogus nature of the VHP’s logic is obvious as it is known to all that the actual “84 kosi parikrama” has already been held this year. More, it is mischievous to suggest that the religious freedom of the majority Hindu community in India is under strain. Indeed, no religious grouping can offer an excuse along those lines. Communal disturbances in the country, when these do occur, are a symptom of political tussle, and not a sign of religious freedoms being under assault.
In this case, there can hardly be any doubt that the VHP — as an affiliate of the RSS-run constellation — is trying to galvanise communal support for the BJP for the next general election. A sitting BJP MLA and a former MP were also arrested on Sunday. What we saw was a faint edition of the communal mobilisation of December 6, 1992, on the Ayodhya issue, which marked one of the more disturbing episodes in our recent history. What is strange is that the VHP and others like it are still banking on the Ram Mandir trick which is well past its sell-by date. The UP government needs to remain alert regarding any communal mischief as the VHP programme is scheduled to continue well into September.
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