Inaugration of BAPS Hindu Temple at Abu Dhabi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in less than a month since the Ayodhya Ram Temple affair speaks volume of Modi proactively pursuing a path pushing his domestic ratings to an all time high. Neutralising the amount of resentment following domestic politics at home – inflation, unemployment, farmer agitation etc he actually understands the nerve and pulse of common and ordinary especially how he should be grasping it earning a goodwill enough for him to go past the finish line for the command and caliber he possesses by not only being the pradhan sewak (pradhan mantri) but a political activist and karyakarta of Asia,s largest political party.
Beating him on this front requires an absolute amount of devotion, dedication and commitment which should be totally unmatched in all aspects and respect a project where the opposition seems to be completely clueless and listless trying to elevate themselves but for their ineptness in capturing the mind, heart, emotions and sentiments of average common and ordinary electorate. Modi despite all his flaws and misses still remains a central figure in Indian politics for his tone, tempo and a rhetoric resonating and reverberating in the heads and hearts of most of his not so devout supporters, followers, sympathizers and voters.
From his punchy taglines to pointed jibes he is able to attract an audience base that is responsive, reciprocal and vocal an area where the opposition needs to invest, improvise and improve itself. In the last few years country has moved from being a plural, secular and liberal republic to a one which has been turned into a semi Hindu republic with symbols and signs attached to the majority faith given more prominence and weightage it’s not like people are not familiar with the choices and preferences they make at the ballot but for an opposition trying to arrange, organise and collect it’s act for a dilemma striking it at the very root slowly the electorate are becoming strong votaries of TINA- (Their is No Alternative) with the market and mainstream media pairing and partnering in easing off the pulls and pressure of an competitive electoral battle from the head of Prime Minister a feature found mostly in a political setup tilted towards the Right. For India which is both diverse and heterogeneous such kind of trends presents a worrying picture especially for population other than Hindus living under constant fear and threat excluded, subjugated and marginalized.
It would behave well for Modi ji to rise up to the occasion and take a firm stand on the rising incidence of religious bigotry, chauvinism and sectarianism discarding the civilizational ethos and legacy of a country which has always believed in Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb (composite culture) with few self appointed custodians and spokesperson from the majority community intimidating and harrassing raising their banner against a thought process receiving sanctions and patronage by the state.
Certainly, Ram Temple should promote universal harmony, prosperity and brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims but for a far more greater share by the latter side in Kashi (Gyanvapi mosque whose status quo has been touched after ASIs survey and a court judgement) as Hindus began to start worshipping over there and Mathura where a section amongst Hindu society claiming Shahi Imam Masjid creating new friction points is something which should be outrightly rejected and refuted by the PM in his capacity occupying the highest constitutional chair. By staying mute he is only nurturing to build his constituency for the sake of not antagonizing the majority playing with the future of democracy which has stood the test of time with the imposition of emergency in 1975 being a litmus test for it.
If Modi who by his successful model of soft diplomacy has stood out distinctively championing the conception of Bhartiyata on foreign soil has the potential to strike the same note at home by going past all forms of prejudices and biases denying the individual his rightful place and dignity at the first place by not treating him equal at par with the rest an offence of the highest sort challenging the very core of constitutionalism reigning supreme than anyone’s majesty.