By Sami Ahmad
NEW DELHI—While the Indian Media, particularly the Hindi language media, are in celebratory coverage of the Ram Mandir inauguration on January 22, foreign media outlets are discussing the fears of the Muslim community over the issue. The Ram Mandir has been constructed over the site of the 16th century Babri Masjid that was demolished by a Hindu mob led by leaders of the BJP and RSS on December 6, 1992 in full presence of central forces.
Foreign media agencies like the Al Jazeera, BBC, AP and TRT World etc. have carried detailed reports from Ayodhya on the upcoming of the opening ceremony of Ram Mandir.
Sanjay Kapoor of Al Jazeera points out the political purpose of the consecration ceremony. He writes, “Now, the semi-constructed temple is poised to serve as the backdrop for what many analysts and opposition leaders say is effectively the launch of Modi’s campaign for re-election in the 2024 national polls, expected to be held between March and May.”
Shweta Desai of TRT World, too discusses the electoral politics behind the Ram Mandir construction. She writes that the temple is the crowning glory in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s electoral strategy for the 2024 elections, where it intends to secure an undeniable thumping victory for the third time.
She talks about the mobilisation of the Hindus by the Modi government. She gives the details, “It has constructed a new airport, scheduled over 1,000 special trains, and embarked on a multi-billion dollars development project to usher over 300,000 devotees daily to Ayodhya in the coming months.”
She writes, “Steady stream of visitors, including from the rabid right-wing organisations who destroyed the Babri mosque, raised anxiety among the 5,000-odd Muslim community members living around the temple’s 70-acre precinct.”
Discussing the fear of Ayodhya’s Muslims, Shweta quotes Syed Helal Ahmed, resident of Qaziana Mohalla and caretaker of the Sheesh Paigambar Dargah. Helal says, ““We do not have enmity with local Hindus, but it doesn’t take much to spoil the atmosphere. In Ayodhya, it has always been the outsiders who have played rotten.”
The TRT report quotes Azam Qadri who is the president of the Sunni Waqf Board in Ayodhya. Azam says, “Rumours are rife that Muslims will be evicted from the five-mile area adjoining Ram’s birthplace, and (that the) government is acquiring all Muslim properties surrounding the temple precinct. An atmosphere is being created where Muslims feel insecure and are forced to flee.”
The Associated Press also underlines the politics behind the Ram Madir. It writes, “The temple’s opening at one of India’s most contentious religious sites ahead of the national polls scheduled for the spring is expected to give major momentum to Modi.”
While the Indian media completely ignores the illegal demolition of Babri Masjid, The Guardian in its report by Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Aakash Hassan talks about the Babri Masjid. They write, “Ram Mandir is being built on the site that many Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Ram. It is also where a mosque, Babri Masjid, stood for hundreds of years before being torn down by a Hindu rightwing mob in 1992 after decades of disputes. The demolition, which set off riots that killed thousands, is still regarded by many as one of the most seismic acts of religious violence in independent India.”
A BBC report by Soutik Biswas also mentions Babri Masjid while discussing the Ram Mandir. He writes, “Next week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will fulfill a decades-long Hindu nationalist pledge by opening the temple, which replaces a 16th-Century mosque that once stood here, on one of India’s most controversial religious sites. In 1992, Hindu mobs tore down the Babri mosque, claiming it was built by Muslim invaders on the ruins of a Ram temple, sparking nationwide riots that took nearly 2,000 lives.”
The Guardian also discusses the political angle to the Ram Mandir construction. It writes, “The temple inauguration, where Modi will be leading the ceremonies alongside the priests, has been described by some analysts as the unofficial launch of his election campaign. The BJP’s election agenda is likely to draw heavily on religious sentiments of Hindus, who make up 80% of India’s population.”
It noted that Modi’s own religious devotion around the ceremony had been publicly pronounced, with the prime minister declaring that God had chosen him as an instrument to be “representative of all Indians” and he had begun 11 days of “strict vows and sacrifice” to prepare for the event.
It discusses the government’s close alignment with Ram Mandir, which has been seen as symptomatic of India’s movement away from the secularism enshrined in the post-independence constitution and towards the establishment of the country as a Hindu Rastra since the BJP came to power in 2014.
It also noted that several senior Hindu priests and heads of major shrines have also refused to attend the event, on the grounds that consecrating an unfinished temple undermines scriptures.
The BBC report too mentions the electoral politics around the Ram Mandir construction. It mentions, “Critics say the timing of the opening leans more towards political strategy than religious significance, building a Hindu nationalist momentum ahead of the polls.
After all, they argue, the movement to build a temple was a major factor in propelling the BJP to a prominent position in Indian politics.”
The Associated Press draws attention to the internal controversy around the opening ceremony of the Mandir. It writes, “At least two head priests from a Hindu sect have refused to go to the opening ceremony, saying consecrating an unfinished temple goes against Hindu scriptures. Some top leaders from India’s main opposition Congress party have turned down invitations to attend, with many opposition lawmakers calling the temple a political project.”
The AP report also mentions the involvement of the BJP in this project. It says, “Politicians (from the BJP) are visiting local temples and mopping the floors, obeying a directive that came directly from Modi. Indian TV channels are running wall-to-wall coverage ahead of the event. And volunteers from Modi’s party and other Hindu nationalist groups are going door to door, distributing religious flags and pamphlets.”
