BJP, Congress exchange barbs during Lok Sabha debate on Ram Mandir inauguration

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, who was the first Opposition speaker, said that Mahatma Gandhi’s Ram Rajya was one where none, including minorities, was discriminated against, and sought to know why BJP leaders’ “Jai Shri Ram” slogan was made not in a tone of compassion but in a tone of “bitterness and violence”.

BJP MP Satyapal Singh, who comes from Baghpat – a hub of the farmers’ agitation – and was the first speaker, and Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, who was herself a kar sewak, reminded the House that kar sewaks were fired upon and killed in 1990 in Ayodhya when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister.

“Bhagwan Ram is not a communal issue. Shri Ram belongs to all. He is both our ancestor and inspiration. In his time, there was nothing like Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian. He was Maryada Purushottam. Our ancestors said that people who think of Ram get liberated. Today we are earning merit (Punya) by discussing Ram. Lord Ram is a concrete inspiration for good governance, Ram is the symbol of our civilisation. He is everywhere. From Ram Singh and Ram Chandra to Ramanna and Ramaiyya, the name Ram is found all over. From Rampur to Rameshwaram, there is Ram. His influence is also there till Indonesia, etc,” Singh said.

Attacking the Congress, Singh said that the UPA government had in 2007 filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court that Lord Ram was never born, and was “imaginary”.

“To deny His existence was to deny our culture, civilisation and heritage. I had written an article, and asked 20 questions of archaeologists,” he said. “Mahatma Gandhi used to say that there would be Ram Rajya in independent India.” Singh also proceeded to recall the timeline of the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute, emphasising that Congress leaders Gulzarilal Nanda and Dau Dayal Khanna had taken part in a major rally in favour of the Ram temple in Muzaffarnagar in 1983. “On October 30, 1990, it was said that not a bird would enter Ayodhya. I pay tribute to 50 kar sewaks who were killed there in police firing,” he added.

Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti also took the Opposition to task in her speech: “Kar sewaks were fired upon in Ayodhya. I was there. That party is in the INDI bloc. Did Congress ever express regret for it?” She asserted that while she had become a Sadhvi at just 14 and knew no caste, she was proud to have been born in a family of Nishads (a most backward caste) that had been called sakhaa (friend) by Lord Ram.

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi attacked the ruling BJP, even as he extolled Lord Ram. “This country is a country of Bhakti, of faith, and of harmony. With seva bhaav (spirit of service), we serve society. Humanity is our biggest identification. People of the country are dharmic and dharma means dhaaran karna (that which is adopted and experienced). The dharma of humans is to walk on the path of truth. The darshan (sight) of God or Devi Maa (mother goddess) shows us the path of truth and justice. Bhagwan Ram belongs to all. He is always with us. He is in our kan kan (each particle). In north and west India, people say ‘Ram Ram’. In Rajasthan, they say ‘Ram Ram sa’. ‘Hey Ram’ is always on people’s lips, like it was always on Mahatma Gandhi’s lips,” Gogoi said.

He added, “Truth, service, justice and compassion have also been included in our Constitution as core ideas. Mahatma Gandhi talked about Ram Rajya. He defined it as a reign where all are happy and none is sad. So, we should think whether all the backward, oppressed and minorities are happy – this was the core of Ram Rajya. But atrocities on SCs and STs are increasing. Is this Ram Rajya? The backward are demanding caste census as they feel they are being discriminated against. They are being deprived of proper representation in universities and in the central government. What about that Dalit girl of Unnao (referring to the rape case where a BJP leader was the accused) or the protesting female wrestlers?”

“We believe in secularism, but not in a western manner. India is a dharmic country, and we believe in sarva dharma sam bhava. It isn’t just about one text; this country binds diverse streams and people into one unit. We want to bind everyone. This is our culture and civilisation. I call upon the treasury benches to leave the path of Nathuram Godse; to not celebrate but condemn him. Ravana was killed by his arrogance. Your arrogance makes you blind to inflation, and problems in society – be it in Manipur or those faced by minorities. India is an ancient country; it was not born in 2014 or on January 22, 2024. Ram Lalla was always with us. Ram will be there when you lose too. Ram is in our hearts,” Gogoi said.

He also recalled former finance minister P Chidambaram’s budget speech in 2013-14 where Chidambaram reeled out figures as to how foodgrains’ production went up, rural road networks spread wider, the central expenditure on education and health went up, there was a spurt in bank accounts for minorities, the number of women’s self-help groups increased, student-loan accounts went up in number, and direct benefit transfers (DBT) were rolled out.

“Rahul ji is taking out the Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra to open mohabbat ki dukaan (shop of love) in nafrat ka bazaar (market of hate). He wanted to visit the shrine of Shankardeva in Assam on January 22. Modi ji had called upon everyone to go to their local temples but Rahul Gandhi was stopped from going there. The Assam CM said before January 22 that Rahul should not be there when Modi will be in Ram temple at Ayodhya – is this your faith? Will they (BJP) distribute Dharma certificates? Has Mandir become a TRP? Many people have faith. Why was Rahul stopped from expressing his faith?” he said. Gogoi added that while there were several religious texts in the country, the one for the state was the Constitution “given by Dr Ambedkar”.

“Why is there such bitterness, violence and hatred when they say Jai Shri Ram? If you hate people and spread hatred, and disturb others’ religious practices, you cannot be a Ram Bhakt. It seems you have forgotten the core instructions of Dr Ambedkar in the Constitution,” Gogoi said. “Our commitment is to the Constitution. Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan…”

The BJP’s Nishikant Dubey got up to contest him on Rahul not being allowed to visit the Assam shrine on January 22, saying, “In the Shankardeva temple, the entry of non-Hindus is prohibited… Just like we cannot go to Mecca…”

The discussion also saw members of regional parties like YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and Janata Dal (United) seeking temples, and development of existing religious sites, in their states. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, however, walked out before the discussion began when T R Baalu was not allowed to raise the matter of the purportedly pending central package to Tamil Nadu, which was hit by floods recently.

M Gurumoorthy of the YSRCP said, “Lord Ram’s teachings are embedded in our country. One of the seven hills in Tirupati is considered the birthplace of Lord Hanuman. There is also a place, Lapakshi, in Andhra Pradesh, dedicated to Jatayu, the bird known for its brave battle against Ravana to protect Sita. These sites should be developed. There are no flights to Tirupati from various metropolitan centres of India. More flights and trains are needed for Tirupati, my constituency. Let us champion the development of all religious sites, building a legacy of unity, faith and prosperity.”

Ramprit Mandal and Sunil Kumar Pintu of the JD(U) hailed the inauguration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya but called for the construction of a temple dedicated to his wife Sita at Sitamarhi in Bihar, which is believed to be the birthplace of Sita.

Nationalist Congress Party’s Amol Kolhe said, “I am proud of being a Hindu as Hindu religion makes us humanist and cosmopolitan. Ram Mandir is a saadhan (the means) not saadhya (the destination). The destination is to live by the ideals of Lord Ram. Lord Ram did what he said, but what about the promises of employment that the government made? Ram was just and fair. Then why are ED raids there only on Opposition leaders? In Ramayana, Ravana abducted Sita ji; in Kalyuga, the abduction happens through ED.”