Senior leader and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) national vice-president Shivanand Tiwari on January 12 came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the inauguration of Ayodhya Ram Temple.
Mr. Tiwari claimed that more than lord Ram, Mr. Modi is visible in Ayodhya. He alleged that Hindutva and Ram Mandir are a conspiracy to erase the achievements made by the backward, Dalit and deprived groups through the social justice movement in the country. He accused Mr. Modi of implementing the agenda of Hindutva activists despite being born in a backward class family.
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He pointed out that the Prime Minister’s ideological upbringing was in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Sangh does not believe in the country’s constitution and democracy.
“They are celebrating the consecration ceremony of the half-built temple and the Modi government is flouting the constitution by using government resources without any hesitation. They have nothing to do with religion and taking people in the direction of spreading hatred in society and creating a violent environment in the name of Maryada Purushottam Ram. Such things are not the work of religion rather it is a lie and deception. Ayodhya or Ram temple is not their religious goal. Rather, it is a political ritual to regain power with the help of Ram as his government has failed in every aspect,” he said.
Mr. Tiwari noted that all four Shankaracharyas had distanced themselves from the political rituals by not attending the celebration. He asked the BJP to show some courage to declare them anti-Hindu.
The veteran RJD leader and former parliamentarian opined that religion is a personal matter of an individual or a group and it is the constitutional right to follow the customs and traditions of their religion according to their faith without disturbing the faith of other groups.
“Modi ji is making a new classification of Indian society. He says that our society is divided into only four categories — youth, women, farmers and poor. What is the condition of the four groups whose new social classification is being presented by the Prime Minister under Modi rule?” he asked.
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“Let’s take stock of the condition of only the women’s group. The status of women in any society is considered the test of civilization of that society. On this, the vision and policies of our Prime Minister can be called sick without any doubt. On the conduct of the Gujarat government in the Bilkis Bano case, the Supreme Court says that the Gujarat government released the accused from jail by lying to the Supreme Court and hiding the facts. In the last Assembly elections in Gujarat, BJP had fielded the daughter of an accused as its candidate from the same area where the Bilkis incident took place. The order given by the Supreme Court cancelling the release of those accused has exposed Modi ji’s politics. The issue of women wrestlers is also in front of our eyes,” he said.
He accused the Modi government of taking steps towards ending the reservation for Dalits, tribals, backward classes and women.
