RSS is only posturing over the Ram temple. It won’t take the 1992 route this time
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has decided to aggressively rake up the Ram temple issue and stir Hindu sentiment ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections — coming thus in confrontation with the Supreme Court.
At the end of the three-day Diwali meet at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini near Mumbai, the RSS, for the first time, spoke against the Supreme Court’s views on the Ram Temple and the Sabarimala issue.
The RSS termed the Supreme Court’s views on the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid land title dispute as anti-Hindu and anti-majority sentiments. The apex court has postponed the hearing in the Ayodhya case till January saying it has more pressing matters to adjudicate upon. The RSS was also critical of the court’s decision to allow women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple.
RSS sarkaryawahak Bhaiyyaji Joshi clearly said that society is not ruled solely by law, but it is also guided by traditions and customs.
This may be the first time after 1992 that the RSS has shown open contempt towards the law when it comes to customs or sentiments of the Hindu community.
In December 1992, kar sevaks demolished the Babri Masjid — despite the Kalyan Singh-led Uttar Pradesh’s BJP government’s promise to the court that law and order in Ayodhya would not be disturbed.
The Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi-led Supreme Court bench now refused to accept the Uttar Pradesh government’s plea to expedite the Ram Mandir hearing, calling it a non-priority issue.
The only thing that has changed since 1992 is that while the Congress-led government was in power in 1992 at the Centre, today, the BJP-led government is in power, both at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.
According to Bhaiyyaji Joshi, the Sangh did not launch any agitation since 1992 because they believe in the judicial process. It is therefore surprising that the RSS has suddenly upped the ante on the issue.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had dropped hints that the organisation was going to add more heat to the issue when he said during his Dussehra speech that the government should pass an ordinance to get the Ram temple constructed in Ayodhya.
It seems that the RSS was well aware that the government won’t be able to make a statement on the issue since the matter is sub judice. Many BJP leaders are, however, making noises on the temple issue. It thus seems like the whole thing has been planned to appeal to majority sentiment.
The Sangh Parivar knows the promise of 'ache din' has lost appeal and may not find much resonance with voters any longer. Added to this is the fact that the BJP and the Parivar are often questioned over their inability to build the temple, despite forming a majority government under Narendra Modi.
It is clear that the RSS strategy is to now put the onus on the Supreme Court, thus fanning majoritarian anger, like 1992. The Sangh has by now mastered that art.
When asked if the RSS may take the agitational route if it is convinced that the SC doesn’t respect Hindu sentiments, Bhaiyyaji Joshi said that if need be, the RSS will surely do that.
It is however clear that the RSS will never take the 1992 route of violent agitations — but it will keep the issue alive to turn Hindu voters against the Congress and use the tactic, especially in Uttar Pradesh to counter a possible SP-BSP alliance.
It seems to be a dangerous path — but if the 2019 battle needs to be won, then the only way is a Ram Temple for north India and Sabarimala for the south.