`When you lose faith in the earth beneath your feet’ was how a leading international publication described the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, which claimed thousands of lives and continued to strike fear into the hearts of its residents with aftershocks for a long time.
That tragedy was an act of nature and cannot be compared with anything else. But the evocative idea of losing faith in the foundation may resonate with devotees who feel betrayed by the alleged theft of donations from the Ram temple in Ayodhya. This man-made calamity has shaken the faith of believers, many of whom equated the temple movement with cultural resurgence.
Ram Temple Donation Theft Allegations Shake Devotee Trust
Reports from the temple town suggest a significant decline in the number of worshippers visiting the temple after the allegations came to light. Owners of hotels and guesthouses in and around Ayodhya have complained about low occupancy. Many of those visiting the temple these days come only from nearby places and don’t need accommodation.
The reduced footfall may be temporary, and devotees will return sooner or later, especially on days of religious significance. Tragedies like stampedes, including those leading to the loss of hundreds of lives at religious places, are not uncommon in the country. Numbers go down in the immediate aftermath, but devotees return, some with conviction.
Devotees of Ram will not lose faith in the deity itself, but what will remain deeply ingrained for a long time is chanda chori, the pejorative allegation. Atheists and agnostics may have different interpretations, but the unprecedented nature of the controversy has drawn their attention too.
The first sign of hurt sentiments came when the Faizabad Bar Association passed a resolution asking its members not to represent the eight accused arrested in the case. Citing Supreme Court rulings, legal experts say the resolution itself could be illegal and cannot be justified.
That may be the case, but by passing the resolution, the advocates conveyed their anger against the accused. It’s not unusual for bar associations to pass such resolutions, but they do so when it comes to terrorists and those accused of raping minors. The Faizabad resolution is a rare instance.
After a long time, the BJP and the larger Sangh Parivar have found themselves unable to come up with a coherent response, mainly because the buck can’t be passed to anyone. Also, there is every likelihood that, other than those already behind bars, more could be involved. At every level of authority, from the Central government to the temple administration, those ideologically invested are in charge.
Though the temple movement predates the BJP, it benefited immensely from the mobilisation carried out by its predecessors and other allied organisations.
Ayodhya Controversy Gives Opposition Fresh Political Ammunition
By the time the temple was built and inaugurated ahead of the 2024 general elections, it had lost traction as an electoral issue. The BJP not only lost the parliamentary seat, of which the temple town is a part, but also many more in the electorally crucial state.
Ironically, the donation theft case has given the Opposition a huge stick to beat the ruling party, months ahead of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and at the national level.
The initial attempts to underplay the controversy didn’t work because the Opposition was unrelenting, having sensed an opportunity to give the BJP a taste of its own medicine. The argument that some opposition leaders did not visit the temple and, therefore, lacked the authority to comment didn’t wash with anyone. Asking the Opposition to come clean on their stand on Kashi and Mathura hasn’t worked either.
What acted as a force multiplier was the comprehensive coverage by television channels. For once, the INDIA bloc couldn’t accuse a large section of the media of ignoring controversies and developments likely to bring a bad name to the saffron party.
The controversy may also have been on the front burner due to the internal dynamics of the Sangh Parivar and the alleged friction among leaders at different levels. It took the RSS several days to offer its first official comment, while Yogi Adityanath spoke of strict action instantly.
Whether more heads are rolled or more are sent to jail, or whether attempts are made to hush up further revelations, the BJP is unlikely to score any brownie points. The Supreme Court is now hearing pleas for a CBI probe.
Only time will tell whether the BJP pays any electoral cost for the alleged theft of donations, which opponents compare to loot. It will need God’s blessings to do better than it did in the last general election.
