The recent consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya, capping centuries of social turbulence and contested history between Hindus and Muslims is a momentous occasion in the history of India. One can only hope this starts the process of healing. Such turning points in the cultural history of a nation must not be reduced to become symbols of triumphalism nor should they embolden the forces that advocate muscular religiosity. Amid all the ecstatic celebrations over the ‘return of Ram’ to his place of birth, there is also a lurking fear that this moment of renewal and reconciliation may turn into a symbol of assertion of religious supremacy. A question arises whether the present political dispensation at the Centre is committed to establishing ‘Ram Rajya’ in its true sense and not in the corrupted political sense. There are plenty of reasons to suspect the sincerity of the BJP leadership to strive to realise these ideals.
Violence has been witnessed in cities like Mumbai post Ram temple consecration. The run-up to the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony and the manner in which the elaborate show was mounted had all the trappings of a political extravaganza. It was an out-and-out Sangh Parivar affair, shutting off all the dissenting voices. This is certainly not the way to usher in a ‘Ram Rajya.’ Now that the Ram Janmabhoomi issue gets the final closure, it is time for social outreach and reconciliation and not the time to rekindle the politics of religious revenge. Soon after the consecration ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about Lord Ram being in the “soul of all citizens of India” and that the entire country was celebrating the occasion like Diwali.
The core principles of ‘Ram Rajya’ can be achieved only when the government genuinely strives to ensure social harmony, religious freedom to all communities and respect for women. The ‘Raj Dharma’ that the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had spoken about, in the aftermath of the wounds inflicted by the 2002 Godhra riots, is as relevant today as it was more than two decades ago.