Twenty five years after the Ayodhya demolition, VHP leader Ashok Singhal, one of the finest proponets of Hindutva, lives on
The generation, who grew up in the politically volatile decade of the 1990s, of what popular media chose to describe as the conflict era of Mandal and Kamandal, may have only partially known Ashok Singhal as someone who played a role in the Ram Janambhoomi Kar Seva movement. However, 25 years post the Babri Masjid incident, a careful analysis of his life gives us a far more comprehensive view of the late Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader whom the Vice President recently called as one of the finest proponents of Hindutva. Among others, Singhal is credited with having restored the pride and glory of Hindus, and give them a reason to stand united.
What's significant is that Singhal became one of the rallying points for the resurgence of Hindu ideology and identity — and in turn helped the ascent of the BJP onto the national political mainstream in the 1980s — as a first comprehensive Opposition party after the failed experiment of the Janata Party. The Congress had a virtual free-run till 1977, when, in the wake of Emergency, Opposition parties, including the Jana Sangh (BJP owes its genesis to it) came together to form the Janata Party and won the elections. This rendezvous of political forces, opposed to the Congress, was short-lived and in the 1980 elections that followed, they had to bite the dust. While the BJP was born in 1980, it faced drubbing in the 1984 General Election, held after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The BJP had to contend with mere two seats while the Congress romped home with 403.
The road ahead looked challenging and the BJP had to create a smart strategy to go forward. The VHP, which had worked diligently on consolidation of Hindus and launching a broad spectrum of social regeneration and reform programs between 1964 to 1984, was looking to re-orient itself in the new political milieu when Muslim appeasement was growing unabated. The Shah Bano verdict of the Supreme Court and the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, which diluted the judgment of the Supreme Court and restricted the right of Muslim divorcées to alimony from their former husbands for only 90 days after the divorce (the period of Iddah in Islamic law), was seen as a desperate attempt by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to appease the Muslim orthodoxy. This and other acts by the Congress expedited the Hindutva consolidation.
Post 1984, according to Geeta Puri, VHP had turned from a liberal Hindu unity forum to a more assertive and aggressive Hindu nationalistic platform. Singhal became a beacon of this transition and his Ram Janambhoomi campaign through the 1980s and 1990s altered the DNA of modern Indian politics forever.
Reverberations of this Hindutva regeneration was soon felt when in the 1999 General Election, the BJP with 183 seats, formed the National Democratic Alliance Government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A much resolute fruit of this ideological consolidation emerged in 2014, when the BJP held sway over the Indian electorate and with absolute majority of 282 or 52 per cent of the total lok Sabha seats formed Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It is in this backdrop that the book titled, Ashok Singhal: Staunch & Perseverant Exponent of Hindutva by businessman and social worker Mahesh Bhagchandka makes lot of sense. Unveiling the book last week and recalling his dynamic personality, Naidu called Singhal as a fine proponent of Hindutva and how this book will immensely benefit all those who have interest in this ideology. Reiterating the 1995 Supreme Court verdict which said that “Hindutva was not a religion, but a way of life and a state of mind”, Naidu rebuked critics who often gave communal overtones to the idea — which encompasses the beauty, virtues and diversity of Hindustan that is Bharat.
Bhagchandka said that he wanted the book to become a vehicle and carrier of such noble ideas of Hindu religion and lifestyle. “It is dedicated to a global audience, who are incessantly inspired by glorious traditions and teachings of Hinduism, and forever keen to learn about the life of one of its key architects Shri Singhalji,” he said. Recalling his association with Singhal, Bhagchandka said, “Ashok ji was an exemplary individual who selflessly dedicated himself as a pracharak and served the society for over six decades. My book elucidates the life, philosophy, vision, ideas of one of India's tallest leaders committed to ideals of Hinduism. This book nicely captures all that he stood for — his life and vision in Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh, his work in areas of education, reforms, protection and growth of Hinduism among others.”
Amid the melee of ongoing elections in Gujarat and when the leftist-liberal brigade continues to demonise Hindutva and spew venom on Right-wing nationalistic ideals and ideas, such intellectual and biographical response serves well.
(The writer is a strategic communications professional)
