Opinion Ayodhya temple consecration: Missed opportunity to emphasise that accessibility matters
Ram Rajya is possible only when everyone is included. Do we truly comprehend Lord Ram’s teachings if we exclude devotees with disabilities?
Illuminated premises of the Ram Mandir after its consecration ceremony, in Ayodhya, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma) 
“Beyond temple construction, let’s pledge to build a capable, resolute, magnificent, and divine India,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Ram temple consecration. However, what was missing in this historic speech was the concept of a “Sugamya” (accessible) Bharat. Ironically, the PM had launched the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign) in 2015, with deadlines that have now lapsed. Parliament had also passed disability legislation with a deadline of June 15, 2022, to make all places accessible to people with disabilities.
We missed a significant opportunity as a global leader to spotlight universal accessibility. Imagine the impact that the PM using an accessible ramped entrance to enter the divine temple could have had — it could have shifted societal consciousness towards accessibility. Devotees in the audience included those who were visually impaired; wheelchair users; using prosthetic limbs. This moment could have been used to showcase why accessibility matters, but it remained an afterthought. We missed seeing handrails, tactile ground surface indicators, international symbols of access and related signages.
In 2020, Svayam, a disability NGO, wrote to the Construction Committee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra to make an inclusive temple followed by letters to the District Magistrate of Ayodhya, and the temple architect Chandrakant Sompura. One year earlier, the government, through the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, released guidelines for making religious places accessible.
However, there were further issues. Phase (I) of the redeveloped station, Ayodhya Dham Junction railway station, which was completed at a cost of more than Rs 240 crore, has foot overbridges and flawed tactile guidance. Section 44 of the Disability Law mandates adherence to rules formulated by the Centre before issuing a certificate of completion or allowing occupation of a building. While some argue that the temple and railway station are still under construction, history provides little solace.
The iconic new Parliament building is claimed to be accessible per its website, but the reality is that wheelchair users will still struggle to find suitable seating inside. Similarly, the striking Pravasi Bharatiya building, inaugurated by the PM, features a steep slope in the name of a ramp in the basement and another ramp outside from the back at the main hall. The preference for escalators over elevators persists at religious places like Rishikesh and Haridwar, which are also frequented by senior citizens. Notably, when our PM missed a step and fell at the Ganga Ghat in 2019, a news headline read, “Atal ghat steps to be repaired after PM tripped”. Imagine the impact of a headline like “Varanasi, PM’s constituency, becomes the first in India to have accessible ghats”.
India holds immense intellectual potential, but transformative intent often falls short. True change begins when leaders demonstrate empathy and when individuals with disabilities actively participate in decision-making. Before the Legislative Assembly Election 2020, I served as the disability icon for Delhi’s Central District. During a National Voters’ Day programme in the Central District, I found no stage ramp. Declining assistance on the steps, I asked the SDM to create a makeshift ramp. After a flurry of moments among organisers, a carpenter was sought, and I directed him. In seven minutes, a red-carpet ramp was ready. Next, DM Nidhi Srivastava observed me on the ramp and expressed intent to follow suit. After the function, the DM again accompanied me, and this time, all staff, along with ECI observers, used the same ramp.
Contrast this incident with my visit to the Guwahati Medical College. The secretary of the Ministry of Social Justice was the chief guest at the disability conference. She came, inaugurated, and left without realising that the stage was inaccessible. I request chief guests to use only the ramped access to highlight this cause and bring about a change.
In Lord Ram’s profound narrative, the essence of “Sarvah Bhuteshu Hitah” (benefactor of all living beings) resonates as his greatest quality. To truly understand Ram is to embody accessibility, echoing the wisdom that true prosperity. “Ram Rajya”, is possible when everyone is included. It urges us to contemplate — do we truly comprehend Lord Ram’s teachings if we exclude devotees with disabilities? Accessibility to sacred spaces resonates with the universal spirit of compassion embodied by Lord Ram. Our PM emphasised that the memory of the squirrel teaches that every effort, big or small, contributes to the greater good. This honours the divine and manifests a tangible Ram Rajya — a realm where all beings are treated equally with dignity.
The writer teaches at University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, and is a disability rights activist. Views are personal
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