Modi smoothens rough edges of Hindutva politics in Ayodhya

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought to smoothen the rough edges of his party’s hard-line Hindutva politics during his speech, after the groundbreaking (Bhoomi Pujan) ceremony for Ram temple at Ayodhya, reaching out to all sections of the society, while RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat hailed Ram as a symbol of unity amid diversity of India.

Bhagwat spoke of making “Man Ki Ayodhya” (Ayodhya of the heart) and embracing all by forgetting differences. Modi, along with the Ram of Valmiki Ramayana, also spoke of the Nirgun (formless) Rama of Kabir and Guru Nanak and the Ram of Mahatma Gandhi, who in his morning prayer sang ‘Ishwar Allah Tero Naam’.

On the day a key promise of the Sangh Parivaar was fulfilled, party leaders made a conscious effort to tone down the rhetoric while projecting the temple as a symbol of national pride.

Read: PM Modi warns India's adversaries, terms Ram Temple ‘bhumi pujan’ a golden chapter

The PM said: “We have to enjoin the stones of the Ram temple with mutual love and brotherhood, we have to take care of everybody’s sentiments. We have to carry out the development of all sections with everyone’s trust and taking everybody together. Ram is in favour of modernism, Ram is in favour of the change.”

He gave examples from Ram’s life that symbolise harmony and equality, involving his relationship with the Kevat (the boatman), Shabari (Shabari shrines are common in scheduled caste hamlets) and the Vanvasis (tribals).

He also mentioned Suheldev, the king of Shravasti, who had in 11th century defeated Ghazi Salar Masud, nephew of Mahmud of Ghazani. When Suheldev caught the imaginations of Hindu scheduled caste people, a political party was born. Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party led by OM Prakash Rajbhar in UP allied with BJP in 2014. Modi likened the Ayodhya issue to pre-1947 freedom struggle celebrated on August 15 in which everyone, irrespective of their caste, supported Gandhi. He said as the construction of Ram temple began with support from all sections of the society.

Also read: A long wait ends today: PM Narendra Modi after ‘bhoomi pujan'

Instead of the aggressive Jai Shri Ram slogan, Modi began his speech with ‘Siya Ram and Siyavar Ram’, a household chant in Hindu homes in Northern India.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu praised Iqbal Ansari, a litigant from the Muslim side in Ayodhya dispute, for attending the event. VHP working president Alok Kumar said: “Now we have to move towards the establishment of Ramatva (Ramahood) on earth and eradicate poverty, malaise, inequality, illiteracy and unemployment from the country. All should come together to ensure education and employment, food, clothing and shelter for all.”