Of course, this was a day of unity and celebration for Modi and Sangh Parivar leaders who consolidated their power even before the construction of the Ram Temple. It wouldn’t be surprising if politicians say in future that the struggle for the construction of the Ram temple is bigger than the freedom struggle. Indians have already initiated the recasting of the significance of many historical events.

It is also not surprising to see Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other senior leaders, supported and greeted Ramashila Puja. Priyanka Gandhi went a little further and said that Ram Bhoomi Pooja is an opportunity for national unity.

Even as we hold high with pride the concept of a secular India, the fact remains that we have never followed in the footsteps of European countries like France that forbade religions from interfering in power or kept them out of politics.

Religion has been involved in politics since the time of Gandhiji. There have been many exchanges between religion and politics in the history of independent India. Our rulers have never tried to implement secularism in its actual sense. They have not been able to bring a unified civil code in a country where there is a unified criminal law because the shadow of religion has always been in Indian politics.

It is this political environment, with only the outer label of secularism and the over-influence of religion, that became the fertile ground for the growth of the Sangh Parivar. Neither our leaders nor the rulers thought that attending religious ceremonies would tarnish their secular image. They have always shrugged off religion, believing that religious support is conducive to bargaining in power politics. It was the mixing of religious support in politics that paved the way for the Sangh Parivar’s triumphant march.

It is this strange Indian secularism that is reflected today in the words of the ruling party leaders and various non-BJP leaders alike during the Ramshila establishment. Everyone has the same voice. India’s secular proclamations were always a mere ritual in the shadow of religion, until the great leader of the opposition was able to say that the glory of Rama, the central character in an epic book written centuries ago, would bolster our nationalism, even when churches were closed for fear of the corona.

A country moves on the path of true secularism only when it is liberated from religion and led by modern-minded leaders who do not follow religious way of life. In a country where the Prime Minister lays the foundation stone to build a shrine to a religion and the ceremony is glorified by the opposition leaders and the media, there is no real secularism or modernity.

It is an unfortunate fact that such a ceremony would get so much newsworthiness only in a country that has abandoned the path of progress towards modernity and embraced the call of decline into the obsolescence of the past.

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RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were among those who attended the event at the site where a large number of devout Hindus believe Lord Ram was born.

The guest list, including religious leaders, who was part of the movement that started in the 1980s, was restricted to 175 in view of the COVID-19 crisis. The seating arrangements were made in accordance with covid protocols.

As a priest chanted Sanskrit ‘shlokas’ and the ground-breaking ceremony got under way under a giant marquee decorated in shades of reds and yellows, Modi and the other dignitaries, all in masks, maintained social distancing and sat a safe distance away from each other.

The Prime Minister laid down a silver brick to mark the foundation ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech said that the wait of centuries has ended. The construction of the Ram temple, he said, is an instrument to unite the country. The Ram temple construction will lift the economy of the entire region, he said. The prime minister unveiled a plaque and released a commemorative postal stamp.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi through Twitter said Lord Ram is a manifestation of the best human qualities.

In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi wrote in Hindi, he said, “Lord Ram is the manifestation of the best human qualities. They are the core of humanity in the depths of our mind.”

“Ram is love. It can never appear in disgust; Ram is compassion. It can never appear cruel; Ram is justice. It can never appear in injustice,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter.

मर्यादा पुरुषोत्तम भगवान राम सर्वोत्तम मानवीय गुणों का स्वरूप हैं। वे हमारे मन की गहराइयों में बसी मानवता की मूल भावना हैं।

राम प्रेम हैं
वे कभी घृणा में प्रकट नहीं हो सकते

राम करुणा हैं
वे कभी क्रूरता में प्रकट नहीं हो सकते

राम न्याय हैं
वे कभी अन्याय में प्रकट नहीं हो सकते।

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 5, 2020

Ahead of the ceremony, Ayodhya has been decked up and painted in yellow- an auspicious colour of knowledge and learning. In the eve of the ceremony, all local temples started a continuous Akhand Ramayan recitation with temples and homes being lit as in Diwali. The same will continue August 5 night.

The post PM Narendra Modi likens fight for temple to freedom struggle appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

An assistant priest namely Prem Kumar Tiwari has tested positive for COVID-19 on August 4. Earlier another assistant priest, Pradeep Das, had tested positive for the coronavirus. The chief priest, Satyendra Das, has been sent to quarantine after the first case was detected.

The result of Prem Kumar Tiwari testing positive means that all people who came in contact with him are being identified. Meanwhile, playing down the situation, the district officials said the government was taking all precautions to keep the situation in control.

Terming the situation worrisome, Satyendra Das said “Prem Kumar Tiwari is part of the team that conducts the daily rituals here at the site. We all stay in the same area in the mandir. I also have some other conditions and I’m not a young man”.

Atleast 16 security personnel posted at the Ram Lalla temple had also tested positive, following which all of them have been asked to isolate at home. Due to the COVID-19 situation at the Ram temple and the Home Minister Amit Shah and other prominent personalities being infected with coronavirus has led to demands to postpone the Bhoomi Pujan, which is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone for the construction of Ram temple.

As per the latest news, today from 2pm onwards, the entire area near the Ram Mandir area will be shut for the public in order to prevent unnecessary crowds.

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