11-12-2003, 03:42 AM
Voice that resounds in Hindu hearts
Author: Prafull Goradia
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: November 10, 2003
What makes a cancer surgeon owning a nursing home in prosperous
Ahmedabad go for ardent Hindutva? Why does he take a "do or die" stance
for the Ram Janmabhoomi at Ayodhya? For a man trained in biology and
surgery, the mythology of a temple non-existent today might well have
seemed remote. Is the lure of Hindutva and the faith in Ayodhya much
greater than the classes or the elite of India suspect? The followers of
Togadia, almost without exception, are members of the Hindu masses.
The clue might be traceable to the political waxing and waning of
Ayodhya. The Congress first saw its potential and had the locks of the
Ram temple opened in 1983. On finding the Muslim reaction strong, the
party withdrew its further interest, until Rajiv Gandhi performed the
shilanyas to assuage the Hindu anger against the Muslim Women's Bill.
But, figuratively speaking, the Congress did not swim the Saryu and seek
votes on this exploit.
In the meantime, the BJP had been forced by the formation of the Babri
Masjid Action Committee to espouse the cause of Ram Lalla culminating in
the legendary Advani Rathyatra. The party's bold and open claim gave it
more and more Lok Sabha seats until it was eventually crowned with
power. In the heat and dust of frequent elections as well as the Kargil
war, who was doing what for Ram Lalla was overlooked. When the Babri
edifice was demolished, there was no one to claim responsibility for its
destruction; certainly neither the Congress nor the BJP. Mr PV Narasimha
Rao was the Prime Minister and Mr Kalyan Singh held the post of UP Chief
Minister at that time. Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee had gone nowhere near the
Saryu, to say nothing of crossing it!
The lure of votes draws all parties and leaders to Ayodhya. But when it
comes to swimming in the Saryu and submerging oneself in the cause of
Ram Mandir, the habit of past electioneering beckons them back. The
minority votebanks, the leftists, the secularists, the intelligentsia,
the media, et al, distract and dissuade the vote seekers. Most are ready
to wet their feet but few are willing to plunge into the holy river.
Except, that is, the Hindu masses, for whom the rebuilding of the mandir
would signify the resurgence of Mother India.
Mr Praveen Togadia's voice resounds the heartbeats of these masses. On
the other hand, the minorities, the leftists, the secularists, and even
the Hindu elite are divided on the melody of this voice. Those who
cannot question the validity of its music, condemn the words of the
song. To read Mr Togadia's significance by contrast, be it realised that
Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, endearingly called Maulana in Mumbai, is the
opposite pole. Whoever disapproves of Mr Togadia could well end up with
Mr Yadav.
Many political scientists are unwilling to treat the Gujarat elections
of a year ago as a barometer of the Hindu mass sentiment. Fair enough.
What about the national context? Look at what Pakistan's proxy war is
doing to innocent Indians. Consider what indigenous terrorists are
perpetrating on the people whether at Godhra or Mumbai, at Akshardham or
the Raghunath temple. Go beyond and observe West Asia. Islam has been at
war with Israel and Jews for decades.
Now the Christian civilisation. The 9/11 attack was conceptually not
unexpected. Mr Bernard Lewis, the most distinguished American scholar of
Islam, had clearly stated in 1990 that the two religions would soon
clash. Professor Samuel Huntington had predicted a clash of
civilisations. Sure enough, Islam is also at war against Christians,
apart from Jews and Hindus. Dr Togadia personifies the Hindu
determination to fight in the widespread war. He is a significant
microcosm of a historical macrocosm.
Dr Togadia also personifies the divide between the Hindu classes and the
Hindu masses - large sections of the latter have, in their collective
memory, the dread of foreign invaders. The living evidence of their
humiliation lies in the desecrated temples. Some of them are buildings,
as it were, untouched on their exteriors like the Adhai Din ka Jhopda of
Ajmer, the Bijamandal mosque at Vidisha, the Adina mosque in Pandua
(West Bengal), the Jami masjid at Etawah as well as Kannauj. A few of
them still carry their old Hindu names like the Ataladevi masjid at
Jaunpur, the Bijamandal at Vidisha and the Bhojshala at Dhar.
For the elite, especially those living in metropolitan cities, the
reminder of these desecrations is unwelcome and probably best forgotten
for the sake of building up a secular India in line with the Nehruvian
dream. Little do they realise that for the person living in say Jaunpur,
Vidisha or Dhar, the mandir-turned-mosque is a continuing disgrace. Dr
Togadia touches a chord in such people who are many across the country.
Author: Prafull Goradia
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: November 10, 2003
What makes a cancer surgeon owning a nursing home in prosperous
Ahmedabad go for ardent Hindutva? Why does he take a "do or die" stance
for the Ram Janmabhoomi at Ayodhya? For a man trained in biology and
surgery, the mythology of a temple non-existent today might well have
seemed remote. Is the lure of Hindutva and the faith in Ayodhya much
greater than the classes or the elite of India suspect? The followers of
Togadia, almost without exception, are members of the Hindu masses.
The clue might be traceable to the political waxing and waning of
Ayodhya. The Congress first saw its potential and had the locks of the
Ram temple opened in 1983. On finding the Muslim reaction strong, the
party withdrew its further interest, until Rajiv Gandhi performed the
shilanyas to assuage the Hindu anger against the Muslim Women's Bill.
But, figuratively speaking, the Congress did not swim the Saryu and seek
votes on this exploit.
In the meantime, the BJP had been forced by the formation of the Babri
Masjid Action Committee to espouse the cause of Ram Lalla culminating in
the legendary Advani Rathyatra. The party's bold and open claim gave it
more and more Lok Sabha seats until it was eventually crowned with
power. In the heat and dust of frequent elections as well as the Kargil
war, who was doing what for Ram Lalla was overlooked. When the Babri
edifice was demolished, there was no one to claim responsibility for its
destruction; certainly neither the Congress nor the BJP. Mr PV Narasimha
Rao was the Prime Minister and Mr Kalyan Singh held the post of UP Chief
Minister at that time. Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee had gone nowhere near the
Saryu, to say nothing of crossing it!
The lure of votes draws all parties and leaders to Ayodhya. But when it
comes to swimming in the Saryu and submerging oneself in the cause of
Ram Mandir, the habit of past electioneering beckons them back. The
minority votebanks, the leftists, the secularists, the intelligentsia,
the media, et al, distract and dissuade the vote seekers. Most are ready
to wet their feet but few are willing to plunge into the holy river.
Except, that is, the Hindu masses, for whom the rebuilding of the mandir
would signify the resurgence of Mother India.
Mr Praveen Togadia's voice resounds the heartbeats of these masses. On
the other hand, the minorities, the leftists, the secularists, and even
the Hindu elite are divided on the melody of this voice. Those who
cannot question the validity of its music, condemn the words of the
song. To read Mr Togadia's significance by contrast, be it realised that
Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, endearingly called Maulana in Mumbai, is the
opposite pole. Whoever disapproves of Mr Togadia could well end up with
Mr Yadav.
Many political scientists are unwilling to treat the Gujarat elections
of a year ago as a barometer of the Hindu mass sentiment. Fair enough.
What about the national context? Look at what Pakistan's proxy war is
doing to innocent Indians. Consider what indigenous terrorists are
perpetrating on the people whether at Godhra or Mumbai, at Akshardham or
the Raghunath temple. Go beyond and observe West Asia. Islam has been at
war with Israel and Jews for decades.
Now the Christian civilisation. The 9/11 attack was conceptually not
unexpected. Mr Bernard Lewis, the most distinguished American scholar of
Islam, had clearly stated in 1990 that the two religions would soon
clash. Professor Samuel Huntington had predicted a clash of
civilisations. Sure enough, Islam is also at war against Christians,
apart from Jews and Hindus. Dr Togadia personifies the Hindu
determination to fight in the widespread war. He is a significant
microcosm of a historical macrocosm.
Dr Togadia also personifies the divide between the Hindu classes and the
Hindu masses - large sections of the latter have, in their collective
memory, the dread of foreign invaders. The living evidence of their
humiliation lies in the desecrated temples. Some of them are buildings,
as it were, untouched on their exteriors like the Adhai Din ka Jhopda of
Ajmer, the Bijamandal mosque at Vidisha, the Adina mosque in Pandua
(West Bengal), the Jami masjid at Etawah as well as Kannauj. A few of
them still carry their old Hindu names like the Ataladevi masjid at
Jaunpur, the Bijamandal at Vidisha and the Bhojshala at Dhar.
For the elite, especially those living in metropolitan cities, the
reminder of these desecrations is unwelcome and probably best forgotten
for the sake of building up a secular India in line with the Nehruvian
dream. Little do they realise that for the person living in say Jaunpur,
Vidisha or Dhar, the mandir-turned-mosque is a continuing disgrace. Dr
Togadia touches a chord in such people who are many across the country.