By: Dr. Ratan Bhattacharjee
Unfortunately the year 2024 is coming in a high voltage political hype which is deeply mingled with religious fanaticism. The world including India appears slated for more shakes in 2024. People are apprehensive rather than hopeful of events that may change the history of a nation not just politically, but culturally and spiritually.
In 2023, despite challenges and setbacks, the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s ultimate success enabled India to dominate astro-politics going beyond geo-politics. Success breeds success. BJP and RSS have done their best to organize openly the epic character Lord Ram Chandra to emerge as the saviour of India and in 2024, Ram may lead a new Bharat if the BJP chariot can continue its victorious journey. Politicalisation of 2024 in the name of Ram will be complete.
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The year 2023 already brought a lot of tensions and geopolitical shifts with India overtaking China as the world’s most populous country and the Russia Ukraine War breaking all records of wild violence and the Hamas launching deadliest civilian massacre in Israeili history in a surprise attack out of Gaza. For India the race is between incumbent Narendra Modi – a pro-Hindu nationalist who, at the G20 summit that he hosted in September, sat behind the nameplate ‘Bharat’, the Hindi name for India. While in 2023 he tried to promote his nationalist agenda, in 2024 he came out with his Ram Mandir campaign to get India saffronised with open mixture of religion with politics.
In 2019 the Supreme Court ordered the government to build a Ram Temple on the land that became a vacant by obliterating the Babri Masjid through acts of crimes and fraud. The smuggling of Hindu gods and goddess into the Babri Masjid in 1949 and the unlocking of Babri Masjid in 1986 and its demolition in 1992 under the protection of state government and inaction of Union government finally ended in the building of Ram Temple at Ayodhya and BJP is dreaming of getting mileage in the coming Lok Sabha election. PM Modi tried to pose himself as a saviour of Lord Rama by announcing that Ram’s exile has ended and he is being brought back to Ayodhya.
January 22 is going to be a historic moment for BJP and RSS who are now claiming themselves to be the protector of Ram indirectly gaining the right to determine religion for the Hindus in the days and years ahead. Lal Krishna Advani who began the campaign is no longer in the limelight and the Ramjanmabhoomi campaign is now regarded as political campaign and in a similar way the building of Ram Temple is also less spiritual than political. Ram is just a politically expedient name for politicalising India in 2024. Sonia Gandhi or other political leaders are trying to complete the ritual of repentance by not going to Ram Temple celebration. They cannot any more control the saffronisation of Hindu culture in the coming days of 2024.
Ayodhya’s Ram Temple inauguration is anticipated to be a momentous occasion with enormous possible economic implications. The number of tourists visiting Ayodhya is rising, which is driving up demand for lodging – that is, hotels and resorts. Beyond this immediate effect, there are also the far reaching impact on Indian culture. The secular nature of India is being changed abruptly. The domination of the Hindu fundamentalists and the rise of BJP as the biggest political power all over North India in spite of the challenges from the South of India and West Bengal can change the existing Indian history of tolerance and inclusion.
Even in education policy the saffronisation will occur in a massive way. India has nothing to do against Ram. In Hinduism, Lord Rama is worshipped as – Maryada Purushottam – an epitome of perfect human life. Chanting Lord Rama Mantras can bring peace of mind and helps to overcome anxiety and depression. Chanting Ram Naam is one of the best tools to remove destructive energy and improve decision-making abilities & creativity. Only people do not want Ram to be a broken idol in the psyche of the devotees. Ram is a symbol of the victory of injustice. There is no relation between injustice and spirituality. Congress or the Indian Communists by their policies of pseudo secularism lost the ground of saying anything on the issue of Ram. They simply waver in their policies towards Hindu Muslim amity. They could not control riots. One big achievement of BJP over the last ten years is that no communal riots have occurred all over the country. India is asserting itself as a Hindu nation taking recourse to the ancient values where the Vedas, Bhagabat Gita. Puranas and other religious rituals of Hindus are getting priority.
Despite criticisms of the politicalization of Ram, the opposition finds itself in a dilemma regarding attendance at the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony. The fear of being branded anti-Hindu if they abstain clashes with concerns of playing into BJP’s hands if they participate. BJP capitalizes on this discomfiture, daring to politicize 2024 in the name of Lord Ram. (The author is currently Affiliate Faculty of English Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, USA and a multilingual writer. He can be reached at bhattacharjr@vcu.edu)
