R.K. Misra: Somnath Ban:Religious Cause And Political Timing
Deceit enchants even as cynicism is an unpleasant way of
saying the truth. The manner in which the Somnath Trust went about banning the
entry of non-hindus without permission, into the Gujarat based Somnath temple
last week represents the tip of the proverbial iceberg of conspiratorial
planning. And cynical as it may sound, there is need to put the truth, or the
lack of it, in proper perspective
The Somnath temple is one of the ancient temples of
India and is first among the twelve adi jyotirlings.It enjoys unparalleled
piety and position in the faith .Thus anything here or about touches the
faith immensely and therefore the importance of a religious decision that
impacts politics in much more than a passing manner.
Comparisons may be odious but analysis can be instructive.
First, the timings. Whether by coincidence or by planning, the newsbreak of the
Somnath temple ban comes in close proximity to two major developments on the
Indian national stage. First, off course is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s take
on the religious freedom guaranteed in the Constitution to all citizens being
non-negotiable, the ‘unfortunate’ nature of the controversial remarks of some
of his own and his forthright affirmation that discrimination or communal
violence will not be tolerated. Modi is a master of cause and effect timing.
Thus his interview to the UNI was perfectly placed. His has been a long-pause
silence over the controversial statements by his own partymen and the similar
lack of a reaction to the communal violence in Haryana where his own party
government headed by his own choice, holds fort.
And then comes the Somnath newsbreak. The Shri Somnath Trust
(STT), a religious trust, which manages the temple, puts up three public
notices at the main entrance and Digvijay Dwar last week, which directs that
non-Hindus will have to seek permission to enter the temple. STT has eight
trustees, four nominated by the state government and an equal number by the
Central government. Keshubhai Patel, the first BJP Chief Minister of Gujarat is
the chairman while Prime Minister Narendra Modi former deputy Prime Minister LK
Advani and former Gujarat chief secretary PK Leheri are amongst its trustees.
The Prime Minister has a decisive say in all important
matters concerning Gujarat. K Kailashnathan, a retired senior IAS officer who
headed the CMO during Modi’s tenure in the state continues to do duty at the
same post even in the Anandiben Patel government. He is the eyes and ears of
Modi in Gujarat amongst numerous others in and outside the government. It goes
without saying that no one has the temerity to take such a decision without his
knowledge. A limited purpose interest for the Patel government in Gujarat which
is reported to have moved in the matter is that the state will have local self
government body elections in the state soon and Patel would like to re-affirm
that the unstated commitment of her predecessor is being made more matter of
fact under the present administration. But more about it some other time.
For the subject under discussion, the timing says its own
tale, more so as it comes at a time when the media is hit by the ‘Maggi-mania’.
From the frying pan into the fire, the media is already going overboard with
the epochal ‘Dacca development’ and the ‘Mynmar foray’so the Somnath temple
issue after a few grunts and groans is set to be forgotten. Was it without
reason that BJP president Amit Shah had been camping in Gujarat for three
days-when the news broke- for the ostensible reason of the forthcoming civic
polls, which are still faraway? Is it also another coincidence that food
minister Ram Vilas Paswan arrived in Ahmedabad immediately after to
address the media on Maggi and touched on Somnath to soothe some ruffled
feathers?
The reason cited for the discriminatory notice is security
and to protect the sanctity of the famous Shiva temple. Such a fear did not
move Modi when he ruled the state for over 12 long years. This period saw the
post –Godhra statewide violence in 2002 and the terrorist attack on the
Akshardham temple the same year, besides the 2008 Ahmedabad serial
blasts, to name a few. These were serious incidents in the life of
Gujarat and not a mere perceived threat. The conclusion is obvious.
Diversions abound. The sudden comeuppance of the Ram Mandir
included. The fact is that Hindu hardliners have for long been pressing for a
signal step that forcefully puts forth the commitment of a Sangh supervised
government. This is one such move in true Modi style with all the safeguards of
fallout control in place. This is just like the ‘ghar-wapsi’ issue in which the
media was taken for a merry ride. It is well known that the ‘ghar-wapsi’
programme of the Sangh Parivar has been going on for long, shrouded in serene
silence. It was high profiled during Modi rule at the Sangh’s behest merely to
initiate a public debate on a law on religious conversion.
That the Somnath agenda of those at the helm of affairs is
distinct from the approach of the numerous other Hindu places of worship in the
state was brought out by two Hindu reporters of an Ahmedabad tabloid who went
around temples in the town posing as a Muslim couple. Almost all of them
including the famous Jagannath temple of Ahmedabad and the Gurudwara Gobinddham
treated the couple with warmth and offered them ‘prasad’. Their report in their
newspaper(Ahmedabad Mirror), in graphic detail, spoke a heart-warming tale of
the breadth and depth of the real Hindu faith and the politics laced agenda
that is sought to be pursued for polarisation purposes.
Though the Maggi controversy is not the subject of this
piece, there is an interesting aside, which one would like to relate. According
to a report, Nestle, which owns the brand, has hired US lobbying and Public
Relations firm APCO World to ‘reinstate’ its reputation. Interestingly, the
Modi government in Gujarat had hired the same firm in 2009 as the official
relationship partner for its Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit 2011 and
2013 as well. APCO will now work to suture Nestle’s injured image with the Modi
establishment in India. As is often said, executive ability is deciding quickly
and getting somebody else to do the work!
