Bhopal, Jan 28 (IANS): With the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the idol of Ram Lalla -- the childhood form of Hindu deity Lord Ram was consecrated in a huge ceremonial event in the presence of over one lakh VIP guests in Ayodhya on January 22, an impression is being created that Lord Ram has returned to his birthplace as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who performed the rituals has already mentioned.
The country’s majority community -- Hindus -- had been waiting for the last several decades for this auspicious occasion which took place in a jubilant atmosphere created by the ruling BJP and its allies, the RSS and the VHP. It came ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha election, and an obvious discussion on whether it will impact the general election has to arise.
Madhya Pradesh, which is being called the ‘laboratory' of the BJP-RSS, shares a special bond with Lord Ram’s life journey as the prince of Ayodhya earned the name of Maryadapurushottam during his 14 years' exile in the forest of Chitrakoot in MP. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has now announced that the state government will develop Chitrakoot on the lines of Ayodhya. A ‘Ram Van Gaman Path’ is already being developed.
In the forthcoming Lok Sabha election later this year, the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony is obviously going to be a crucial weapon for the BJP to target the opposition Congress led by the new state unit chief Jitu Patiwari. To what extent this religious development is going to convert into Lok Sabha seats for the saffron party, lies in the future. However, the ruling BJP has made elaborate plans to gain politically.
In fact, the Ram Lalla temple issue reached the neighboring state of Madhya Pradesh much before the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony was conducted at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. Posters on the Ram Lalla temple were put up during the campaign for the assembly election in the state, and an objection raised by the Congress then had led to political barbs being exchanged among the top leaders of the BJP and the Congress.
In the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019, the BJP won 27 and 28 seats respectively out of the total 29, and this time, the saffron party has targeted to win 29 seats. In its new campaign ‘Gaun Chalo Abhiyan' led by the state BJP chief V. D. Sharma, which will kick off soon, the ruling BJP will take the success of the Ram Lalla temple issue to every door step.
A day before the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, CM Mohan Yadav, who is largely acting on the directions of the BJP’s central leadership -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah -- sent five lakh ladoos to Ayodhya, the ‘prasad’ being prepared by Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar temple. “Emperor Vikramaditya from Ujjain went to Ayodhya and rejuvenated the place and built a Lord Ram temple, which was later demolished by Mughal emperor Babar. By the order of the Supreme Court, the temple is being revived. In other words, being built afresh,” Yadav had said.