The Vishwa Hindu Parishad wants to replicate 1992. Twenty-six years ago, it mobilised kar sevaks to bring down Babri mosque, and this time around, it has asked Ram bhakts to join Dharma Sabha on November 25 so as to pressure the Union government and the Supreme Court into paving the way for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya.
“This will be the last congregation before the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya begins. The Dharma Sabha is aimed at conveying to the Supreme Court that they cannot take Hindus lightly. We have waited for long for the construction of a Ram temple. Our patience is running out,” VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma said.
Immaculate planning has gone into making the Dharma Sabha a success and volunteers have been recruited. Silent whisper campaign has started in villages where women are holding Sandhya aarti for the construction of Ram temple. With the BJP in power both at the Centre and UP and RSS backing it, the VHP is going full throttle to lead a decisive push to Ram temple campaign.
It all started a couple of months back when over a lakh Bajrang Dal volunteers were recruited in a vigorous three week drive. Incharge of recruitment and training of Bajrang Dal volunteers in the Awadh region Bholendra said that they were the sipahi (warriors) of Hindu Samaj and were ready to do anything for the religion and culture. “It is very natural that we are focusing on the youth. Even in family, at the time of crisis, members look towards the youth. Now, the pride of Hindu Samaj is at stake. These Bajrang Dal workers will define this agitation,” he said
Bajrang Dal activist from Sitapur, Shekhar Pandey said: “We consider ourselves as disciplined soldiers who are ready to go to any length to protect our Hindu heritage.”
VHP leader Devendra Mishra told this reporter: “The main issue for us is to make Hindu Samaj aware of the problems staring at us. You have seen how the court is delaying the construction of Ram temple. The time has come to show the world where we stand,” he said.
Words are spreading thick and fast asking Ram bhakts to participate in the Dharma Sabha at Ayodhya. Messages like ‘Hindu Samaj being ignored by Supreme Court’ forms the crux of the campaign and people were being swayed by these talks.
Devesh (19), pursuing a technical course in Industrial Training Institute in Lucknow, said that he was unaware of the vastness of the Hindu religion. “I respect all religions but it does not mean that Hindus should bow down to the demands of people from other religion,” he said.
In small village congregations, people are being told about the Ram temple and its struggle. Interestingly, lectures in these meetings are not overtly anti-Muslim but veers around how Hindus have always remained divided.
Villagers are told that history is replete with examples as to how a number of temples were demolished to build mosques but not a single temple was built after razing a mosque. Volunteers have ensured that wherever such meetings take place, the presence of women is substantial as they intently listen to sermons and agree with the speaker.
In fact, the RSS started the whisper campaign. Small evening prayer meetings are being held in villages where women light lamps (diya) at prominent temples and pray for the early construction of Ram temple. It started with 7-10 women and the same has now substantially gone up.