The Rama Mandir Is A Done Deal – Now To Kashi And Mathura

 The Rama Mandir in Ayodhya is as good as a done deal. I use “as good as” only because I do not want to challenge Destiny. Before moving on to Kashi and Mathura, I want to refer to the politics being played by all concerned over various issues related to the Prana Pratishtha. Politicking over anything and everything will now be a way of life in India, not only till the general elections of 2024 but for a long time to come.

The question on everybody’s mind now is will the Kashi Viswanath Temple and the Mathura Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple be reclaimed sooner rather than later. Expectations amongst the Hindu devotees are that this should and will happen sooner. And there are valid reasons for this euphoria.

·       There were many stumbling blocks on the way to the erection of the grand temple on the Rama Janmabhoomi. These have been understood and the correct processes to overcome them have been found. Precedents have been established. The path to Kashi and Mathura has become easier.

·       Advocate Vishnu Jain and others have already set the ball rolling and are receiving favourable responses from the courts, including the Supreme Court of India.

·       It was believed by the opponents of this movement that The Places of Worship Act, 1991, would prevent any progress towards reclaiming Kashi and Mathura. The belief was erroneous. Though it is desirable that the discriminatory act be repealed, it is evident that the existence of the act will not prevent the legal processes.

·       The mood of the Hindu majority is upbeat. They are no longer willing to sacrifice their ancient civilizational heritage at the altars of pseudo-secularism or minority appeasement. The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party is fully aware of this sentiment and is exploiting it to the fullest. Every anti-Hindu invective uttered by the political opposition makes the call for reclaiming Hindu temples even stronger.

·       Hindus yearning for rectification of historical oppression have found new voice on social media platforms. Support from historians like Vikram Sampath and advocates like J Sai Deepak is viral on YouTube.

However, there is one huge difference between Ayodhya and Kashi-Mathura. The “Babri” structure was never a live mosque and it had already been razed to the ground in 1992. The mosques within the Gyana Vapi Kashi and Krishna Janmabhoomi Mathura complexes are standing structures that are being used for worship by Muslims. Will the Supreme Court, and the matters will ultimately reach there, have the courage to issue an order for the destruction or otherwise removal of these edifices so that temples can be built there to complement the grandness of the one at Ayodhya. If the push comes to shove, will the Parliament enact laws to remove the mosques and clear the land for the temples, even if the Bhartiya Janata Party ends up with a much bigger majority in the 2024 general elections.

I, for one, will not hazard a guess. Whether the Hindus can climb this slippery slope only Destiny will reveal at the appropriate time.