The entire issue and the resultant controversy concerning the Ram Sethu has once again highlighted the ugly face of the Indian politics in the name of secularism. It highlights once again in a very ugly manner that for a big segment of political parties blatant insult and humiliation of Hindu ethos and beliefs is necessary to become secular. This is sadistic communalism at it worst.
Let us recall certain facts. When a writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the threatened demolition of Ramsetu the government of India was directed to file its affidavit. It is too well-known that any statement on oath before any Court of law has its own value and if the same is made before the highest Court of the Country i.e. Supreme Court of India then it is entitled to its own sanctity. It is not a casual or, inadvertent remark. Therefore, there was bound to be serious anger and distress when the government of India in its affidavit not only described Valmiki Ramayan and Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas as literary work of fiction and the characters mentioned there in as mythological on the basis of which no scientific study of human development could be made.
By one stroke the government of India ?on oath? repudiated the very existence of Ram and the entire story, events and beliefs associated with him. Apart from insulting the Hindu faith and hence punishable in the penal law of the country, the more critical issue was as to whether the government of India could even have dared to file such an affidavit concerning the belief and Gods of other faith like Islam and Christianity. Obviously they could not have and but for the strong reaction of the country even the token repentance would not have been there. It was not an accidental slip or, inadvertence.
People associated with law know it too well that any affidavit is prepared with a lot of home work more particularly if it concerns a government affidavit. First the administrative ministry prepares the affidavit followed by the approval of the Law Ministry and the final settlement by the concerned law officer before it is given the ultimate seal by the concerned department. Why is it that even after going through so many stages this humiliating insult to Lord Ram continued in the affidavit and for the strong criticism by the BJP, media and the Indians all-over this blasphemy would have continued. Even an apology is yet to come.
These secularist and the political parties pandering to vote bank would apologise only when there is fear of loosing votes.
Even otherwise, the entire understanding of this school of thought, which is patently leftist, is deeply flawed. They have not even a rudimentary understanding of India it'scivilisational processes and cultural moorings. Prof A.L. Baisham the well-known historian and author of that wonderful book ?The Wonder That was India? has made a very apt comment.
If one follows India'spast as a mythology one would find a lot of history and if one understands India as a history one would find a lot of mythology. This alteration between history and mythology is the very special attribute of India which has to be learnt and recognised.
In the western view the study of history has to be based upon the dry evidence of bricks and mortars whereas in our civilisational tradition our icons transcend these boundaries of historicity. Viewed in this context Prabhu Ram becomes a living embodiment whose existence is felt by an ordinary human being if his ?bhakti? is sincere and profound. This living entity not only becomes an inspiration or, a guide but also an anchor laying down the ?maryada? of righteous conduct which ought not to be transgressed. This living reality of Lord Ram has rarely being understood by the Communist or, their so called intellectual fellow travellers and for this reasons the leftist have been pushed to the margins of Indian politics. However, what is truly shocking is the understanding of the present day Congress. If they insult Lord Ram which indeed was done in this case then they would have to forfeit their self-proclaimed so called monopoly over Gandhiji, who talked of Ramrajya. What is further distressing is their complete lack of understanding of the glorious tradition of our Constitution making.
The Constituent Assembly after freedom, met for nearly two years and our Constitution came into effect on 26th of January 1950 when India was proclaimed a republic. On 24th January 1950, the handwritten copy of the Constitution was ready and Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the President of the Constituent Assembly called upon all the Members to put their signature. In this original hand written copy there were various illustrations by eminent painters which formed a part of this Constitution. A victorious Lord Ram returning to Ayodhya, along with Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman after defeating Ravan forms an important illustration in the original copy of our constitution. This copy was published again in 1999 on the completion of fifty years of our Constitution making by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and this also contains the said portrait of Lord Ram forming part of our Constitution. The important point to note is that the historical, civilisational, cultural and spiritual iconic godly status of Lord Ram was given a constitutional sanctity by our founding fathers.
Among the signatories on the original copy of our Constitution containing the portrait of Lord Ram, were Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Sardar Patel, Dr.B.R. Ambedkar and Firoz Gandhi (the father-in-law of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi). If the party and the government which Smt. Sonia Gandhi presides with full authority without accountability, would have cared to know this constitutional sanctity then this blasphemous comment against Lord Ram on affidavit before the Supreme Court would not have been made. The question remains, does the Congress of today at all represent the true tradition of India or, does it even know that?
If Lord Ram is a living reality whose story is passed from generation to generation for the last so many thousands of years then one has to accept the sanctity of each event and place associated with him forming integral part of that beautiful Ramkatha revered by millions world over for the last so many years. If Ayodhya and Chitrakoot are pious and respectful then Ram Sethu is equally important and integral to our spiritual and religious psyche. Therefore, apart from a whole range of scientific, environmental, economic, financial and other objections, the fundamental point remains that when no one including saints are opposed to construction of the Setusamudran, project then why this arrogance and crude insistence that we shall destroy the Ram Sethu and then complete the project. Why reluctance to go for alternative alignment. Let the UPA know Bharat will never permit destruction of Ram Sethu.
(The author is a senior Supreme Court lawyer, an MP, BJP National Spokesperson and former Union Minister.)
