The path to Ram Rajya

A large scale controversy has erupted in the state of Uttar Pradesh after the Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party revealed corruption in the purchase of 1.208 hectares of land by the 15-member Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust constituted by Prime Minister Modi in February 2020 as per the instructions of the Supreme Court beside the 70 acres that belonged to for the masjid. The opposition leaders have alleged with evidence that the land bought by two real estate agents on March 18 for Rs two crores was resold to the Teerth Kshetra Trust for Rs 18.5 crores in less than ten minutes. Questions have been raised on the existence of hidden treasure under the land for the Trust to purchase the land for 18.5 crores from Ravi Mohan Tiwari and Sultan Ansari, who had purchased it for mere Rs 2 crores from Kusum Pathak and Harish Pathak. In both the transactions, the ones who signed as witnesses were Ayodhya Mayor Hrishikesh Upadhyay and Teerth Kshetra trustee Anil Mishra.

The opposition party, Congress has alleged that the Trust has committed a large fraud upon the money contributed by devotees and demanded PM Modi to clarify if protection was being offered to those behind this. Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala further demanded that as the trust formed by the PM as per instructions of the court has been accused, the investigation must be conducted under the supervision of the SC itself. No one can imagine that anyone would engage in corruption in his [Ram's] name, but documents reveal that corruption of crores has occurred, said AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh. However, Trust secretary and VHP leader Chambath Rai have denied the allegations. The agents procured the land for a pre-determined price from the owners but as the prices went up, the trust had to purchase it at a higher cost, he explained. Even if we were to take this claim at face value, a value hike where 2 crores raise to 18 in less than ten minutes won't fail to surprise anyone.

But, if you read this in the real context, what senior advocate and human rights activist Prashanth Bhushan said will be clearer. "BJP's plan in Ayodhya was never related to Ram. It was simply to divide society and gain power. Now, it has also become a plan to swindle money," he had said. From getting the Babri Masjid open for Hindu worship in 1986, to the Ram Janmabhoomi protests and the temple building plans, everything was a concerted effort to incite the extremist Hindutva, bury India's secularism and on its graveyard establish racial superiority. And unfortunately, the country's secular parties failed to be seized of this. Either that or they were taken by surprise by the move. In the opinion of some of them, the issue would have been resolved by letting go of the mosque! Ayodhya is a holy land for the Hindus like Makka or Madina for Muslims, so why not cordially hand it over, was what even some Muslims had asked.

It was never about the mosque or the temple, but rather the fascist plot to overturn India's secular democracy using communal polarising- and there was no party to listen to or amplify voices and opinions of true patriots like Prashant Bhushan. That is how the nation has fallen to the hands of the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo, infamous for the Gujarat genocide, who despite bringing down the country economically with their demonetisation and GST policies, still manage to retain rule for a second term. They continue their acts of bribing and buying up MLAs from the opposition with crores of rupees and overturning elected state governments. Now in Kerala, there is an attempt to rally people behind 'brave patriots' who had pocketed the black money sent from the national level for the elections which the party then lost miserably. The cost of the construction of the Ram Kshetra was declared to be Rs 1100 crore. While one billionaire like Adani or Ambani is enough to raise this amount, it is obvious why they have chosen instead to raise money by campaigning house to house. What did they do with the money raised so far is answered now from Ayodhya. Do not ask if these are the people going to build the Ram Rajya, for IPC section 124A is reserved for people who ask such absurd questions.