Lal Krishna Advani’s Somnath – Ayodhya Ram Rath Yatra was an historic, revolutionary and epoch-making event that changed the course of Bharat’s destiny.
BY S. A. HEMANTH
Lal Krishna Advani is the senior-most statesman of our country today. Advani’s signal contribution to the cause of democracy, cultural nationalism, positive secularism is unparallel.
Advani’s 10,000-Kms Somnath-Ayodhya Ram Rath Yatra that commenced on 25th September 1990 at Somnath, Gujarat and abruptely ended on 23rd October 1990 at Samastipur, Bihar is regarded as an epoch-making as well as a landmark event in the political history of Independent India. Through that Ram Rath Yatra Advani sought to set a new narrative on the matters related to cultural nationalism, patriotism, positive secularism and effectively demolished the moth-eaten Nehruvian secularism and Nehruvian socialism.
Advani’s Rath Yatra changed the course of India’s destiny. He mobilized the opinion of crores of people for the construction of a grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya. It was not just that. Through this missionary Rath Yatra Advani enabled India to take giant strides towards a confident, better and brighter tomorrow with new dynamism, new ideas, new zeal and new vigour. I am fortunate to have traversed in the Rath Yatra throughout the length and breadth of India for about 6,000 Kms.
Advani’s small step from Somnath towards Ayodhya proved to be a big leap for the cause of nationalism, patriotism, genuine and positive secularism. He utilized Ayodhya issue and Rath Yatra to reset the ideological narrative that had been distorted by Nehru and his followers since the dawn of Independence. Both Nehruvian Secularism and Nehruvian Socialism had outlived its utility.
“Ayodhya is not about just building a temple. It is essentially to reset the country’s moral and ethical compass as well as flawed narrative that has been built since the dawn of independence on the matters related to nationalism, patriotism and positive secularism,” Advani said, in his first speech at Somnath before the commencement of the historic Rath Yatra.
The choice of Somnath, Gujarat to commence the journey is also significant. “Just like Somnath was rebuilt and the Jyotirling was re-installed after it was ravaged by the Moghal invaders, Sri Ram temple at Ayodhya should also be re-built and the idols of Lord Ram must be re-installed in that grand temple, Advani explained succinctly. “Emulate Sardar on Ayodhya,” was the clarion call given by Advani.
During those hectic days of Rath Yatra, Advani penned an article, rather, a small booklet titled “A Tale of Two Temples” comparing the glaring similarities in Somnath and Ayodhya.
Addressing a mammoth gathering at Pune, a culturally-rich city known for its vibrant nationalism. Advani said, “Ever since the dawn of Independence, the so-called secularists led by Pandit Jawaharhal Nehru and others had succeeded in twisting the meaning of words such as nationalism, patriotism, communalism, secularism etc, etc. in such a way as to make it impossible for a genuinely nationalist party, the BJP to take up certain causes without getting branded as communal. What these self-styled secularists are practicing is nothing but pseudo-seculariam. In fact, secularism is euphemism for their allergy to Hindutva. We need to promote genuine and positive secularism. This Rath Yatra aims to do exactly that,” Advani asserted.
At Nagpur, Advani chose to touch upon the issue of our moorings with the time-tested civilizational values, culture and tradition. Advani was determined to push the theory of unalloyed nationalism, uncompromising patriotism and positive secularism. “Rama Bhakti is Rashtra Shakti” Advani declared in his public speech at Nagpur.
“People cannot develop unless they belong to a culture. In India that culture is Hindu. If we Indians fail to assert ourselves as Hindus and as Nationalists, then we will fail in everything we attempt. Cultural self-assertion is a prime element in the creation of a stable political and economic identity,” Advani declared and repeated, “Rama Bhakti – Rashtra Shakti”
After pseudo-secularism, cultural self-assertion became the buzz word in the political discourse, thereafter. “Cultural nationalism is our credo; positive-secularism is our motto. We need not be apologetic of our Hindu identity and Hindu ethos. These are national and nationalist in nature and character,” Advani said in Bhopal, while addressing a massive gathering and declared, “Hindutva is secularism-par-excellence”.
At Agra and Bhopal, Advani touched upon the Hindu-Muslim relationship given the fact that in these two cities and in majority parts of North India Muslims were in sizeable number. “Ayodhya is not a dispute between Hindus and Muslims,” Advani said categorically. “Fundamentally and essentially, Ayodhya is the question of nation’s identity. With whom must this nation identify? With Ram or with Babar”? Advani posed the question.
The five-lakh and odd crowd at Agra waited in bated breath for Advani to reply. There was pin-drop silence. Advani continued, “Lord Ram is a native of Bharat. Babar was an invader. People of India, irrespective of whether they are Hindus or Muslims or Christians need to identify themselves with Ram, a native of Bharat and not with invader Babar,” Advani said.
Advani quoted an anecdote of Vajpayee. “When Atalji visited Indonesia as Foreign Affairs minister, he was taken to Ram Leela. He asked how come Indonesia, which is 98 percent Islamic country, is hosting Ram Leela. The Indonesian Minister replied that they may have changed their religious faith and mode of worship but they have not cut off themselves from their cultural moorings. Lord Ram is our proud ancestor”
“I expect my Muslim brethren in India to emulate the people of Indonesia with respect to Ram Temple at Ayodhya,” Advani told a tumultuous crowd at Agra. He said, “The Indian society is matured enough to distinguish between today’s Muslims and yesterday’s Moghals. Today’s Muslims have nothing to do with yesterday’s Moghals,” Advani declared.
After a brief stop-over at Delhi, Advani resumed his Rath Yatra from Dhanbad in Bihar. However, Advani and Pramod Mahajan were arrested at Samastipur on 23rd October 1990 by the Government headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav at the instance of Vishwanath Prathap Singh, the Prime Minister of National Front government supported by BJP and Left parties.
Before getting into the police vehicle, Advani called me and asked to take down a few lines and convey it to the media. He said, ““The country will emerge stronger in purpose and clearer in mind very shortly. The tremendous energy that this movement has generated will be of great help to rebuild not only the Ram Temple at Ayodhya but rebuild the nation based on the Bharatiya ethos, civilizational values, nationalism, patriotism and positive secularism. Victory will be that of the nationalist forces.”
During the Ayodhya movement, at the time of Kar Seva and Advani's Somnath-Ayodhya Ram Rath Yatra, three slogans rent the air throughout the country.
"Saugandh Ram ki Khathe Hain, Hum Mandir Wahi Banayenge"
"Jaha Ram Ka Janam Hua Tha, Hum Mandir Wahi Banayenge"
"Ram Lalla Hum Aayenge, Mandir Wahi Banayenge"
On January 22, 2024 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads the entire nation in the consecration of Ram Lalla at the Sanctum Sanctorum at the grand temple in Ayodhya, the above slogans will be translated into a reality.
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A brief profile of S. A.Hemanth
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S. A. Hemanth has completed 35 years in journalism.
He started writing for The Organiser and Panchajanya,
two national weeklies published from Delhi way back in
1988.
Later he passed PG Course in Journalism in First Class
from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in 1989.
Hemanth served in Sahara India Mass Communication from 1991 to 2000.
Later he served in The Times of India, Asian Age,
Deccan Chronicle, The New Indian Express.
He also worked for Uday India, English and Hindi national weekly published from Delhi.
Currently, Hemanth is a Freelance journalist based in Bangalore.
Hemanth travelled with Advani and Pramod Mahajan
in the Somnath - Ayodhya Rath Yatra for 6000 Kms and
was present at Samastipur when Advani and Mahajan were arrested.
Hemanth has written extensively on Ayodhya issue in various journals.
ನಿರಂತರ ಅಪ್ಡೇಟ್ಗಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಉಪಯುಕ್ತ ನ್ಯೂಸ್ ಟೆಲಿಗ್ರಾಂ ಚಾನೆಲ್ಗೆ ಜಾಯಿನ್ ಆಗಿ
ಉಪಯುಕ್ತ ನ್ಯೂಸ್’ ಫೇಸ್ಬುಕ್ ಪುಟ ಲೈಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ
ಉಪಯುಕ್ತ ನ್ಯೂಸ್ ವಾಟ್ಸಪ್ ಗ್ರೂಪ್ಗೆ ಜಾಯಿನ್ ಆಗಲು ಈ ಲಿಂಕ್ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ
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