The saffron establishment should focus the Modi Govt’s economic feats rather than on emotive issues

Religious and cultural issues seem to be moving towards the centre of the political arena, with both the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) focusing on such matters. To be sure, the RSS may have been forced into such a debate. A few weeks ago, Bihar Minister Chandra Shekhar and then Samajwadi Party MLC Swami Prasad Maurya made uncharitable remarks about the pre-eminent Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas by Goswami Tulsidas. They highlighted some sections of the book which are seen as derogatory to women and the so-called lower castes. Tapasvi Chhawni Temple head priest Mahant Paramhans Das announced a cash reward of Rs 500 for anyone who could “bring him the head of Samajwadi Party MLC Swami Prasad Maurya for the disrespect shown to Goswami Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas.” Undaunted, Maurya’s supporters in Vrindavan burned the photocopies of the pages of Ramcharitmanas for allegedly having “objectionable comments on women and Dalits.” As we commented earlier, the Samajwadi Party didn’t seem unhappy with Maurya, as it appointed him as the party’s national general secretary on Sunday, even though it officially distanced itself from his Ramcharitmanas remarks. Apparently, the RSS is concerned about the anti-Ramcharitmanas remarks, which are predicated upon the Mandalite ideology. This ideology is diametrically opposite to that of the RSS, the latter being all about the glorification of everything Hindu. So, at an event on the occasion of the 647th birth anniversary of Saint Shiromani Rohidas, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said, “The truth is God. Whatever the name, ability and honour, everybody is the same and there are no differences. What some Pandits say on the basis of Shastras is a lie.”

The RSS believes that such revisionism would help it fight the cultural and political wars. The AIMPLB also seems to be gearing up for the battle with the votaries of Hindutva. It has opposed the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code and the demolition of people’s properties. In a recent resolution, it said the UCC “is neither relevant nor beneficial for a multi-religious, multicultural and multilingual country like India.” The AIMPLB’s stand over the subject is not new but its reiteration at this point of time has political undertones. It is a well-known fact that the Bharatiya Janata Party has always regarded the UCC as one of its three ‘core issues,’ the other two being the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the abrogation of Article 370. So, the UCC is the only core issue left that the BJP would like to address, especially in the oncoming nine state Assembly polls and the general elections next year. Like the other two ones, it is also an emotive issue. It would, however, be a pity if the saffron establishment focuses on an emotive issue, even though the Narendra Modi Government has started doing better on the economic front. Another dose of sentimentalism in politics will do no good to our democracy.