The BJP–RSS’s new gambit: Mobilise Hindus by attacking the Supreme Court

10 December 2018
A board reading, “Ram lalla ko aasan do, phir humko sushasan do”—First give infant deity Ram his seat, then give us good governance. The hoardings at the rally on Sunday indicated that the Sangh Parivar is asking its supporters to not show patience for the Supreme Court verdict.
Antariksh Jain
A board reading, “Ram lalla ko aasan do, phir humko sushasan do”—First give infant deity Ram his seat, then give us good governance. The hoardings at the rally on Sunday indicated that the Sangh Parivar is asking its supporters to not show patience for the Supreme Court verdict.
Antariksh Jain

At its dharm sabha in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on 9 December, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh displayed a troubling pattern of attacking the Supreme Court for its October 29 ruling that adjourned hearings on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title dispute until the first week of January.

“There is a limit to waiting for the court’s decision,” Suresh “Bhaiyyaji” Joshi, the sarkaryavah—general secretary—of the RSS, said at the rally. “Bringing in a law is the only option for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.”

Anyone who heard or saw his speech must have recognised how cleverly he asked the government to sidestep the Supreme Court. “Those who are in power today had promised to construct the Ram temple. They should listen to the people and fulfil the demand of a temple in Ayodhya. They are aware of the sentiments,” he said. “We are not begging for it. Passing a law is the only option for building a Ram temple,” Joshi added.

Dhirendra K Jha is a contributing writer at The Caravan.

Keywords: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Vishwa Hindu parishad Bharatiya Janata Party Ramjanmabhoomi Ayodhya Sangh Parivar
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