The politicos are using the Ram temple tangle to ensnare voters but the latter must show prudence

He belongs to everyone. For millions, he is the very soul of their existence and the “aatma” of ‘Bharatvarsh’.  “Ram Ram” is a common salutation across the Hindi heartland and no one else touches the lives of millions of devotees the way Lord Ram does. The last words of even our Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, were “Hey Ram” when Nathuram Godse pumped three bullets into him. Be it “Jai Shri Ram”, “Hey Ram” or “Ram, Ram”, there is nothing controversial in His name; however, there is no denying the fact that the name has been used by the leaders of certain political parties to polarise voters and that it has for long been at the heart of communal controversies. This time, it is the donation drive for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya that is being used as a surefire recipe to turn the issue into a contentious one just when Assembly elections in four States and a Union Territory are around the corner. The latest salvo in the ongoing tussle has been fired by Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole who, while speaking in the State Assembly, likened the donation drive to toll collection. He alleged that he was threatened for not donating to the cause of Ram temple’s construction while tauntingly asking whether Lord Ram has given the BJP a contract to collect “toll” in his name.

One can hardly imagine how a powerful leader like Patole, whose party is part of the ruling coalition with the Shiv Sena and the NCP and who yields considerable influence, is “threatened” by someone who just came asking for a fund contribution. Such an allegation reeks of petty politics and points towards deliberate attempts to fan unrest in society. Along somewhat similar lines, former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy had last month attempted to discredit the Ram temple fundraisers, alleging that the collectors had been marking the houses of those who didn’t pay up. He said the act was similar to what the Nazis did during Adolf Hitler’s regime. Seen through the prism of politics, what Patole said is likely to reap some benefit for the Congress, which is banking on minority votes in the Assembly elections. Be it the decision to align with the Indian Secular Front, an Islamic outfit, for getting Muslim votes in West Bengal or Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remarks during his Kerala visit, all point towards the divisive politics that the ‘Grand Old Party’ seems to be deploying. Meanwhile, nearly Rs 2,000 crore have been collected from across the world for the temple’s construction. The BJP, no doubt, is again banking heavily on Hindu votes in the name of the temple’s construction. However, it is in the best interest of the voters to exercise their franchise wisely and judiciously and not go by what these political leaders proclaim. They should not vote in the name of any divinity as religion must be kept distant from politics. Rather, public welfare policies, programmes and development should be the priority for the voters. Remember, Lord Ram was “Maryada Purushottam” but our politicians are not.