23 January 2024:
Celebrations from across the country marked Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir consecration ceremony. On one side, India witnessed Diwali-like atmosphere, where many school students dressed up like Hindu gods-goddesses, groups of students at JNU and Delhi University organised ‘hawans’, ’bhandaras’ and ‘sundarkand’ recitals, devotees took part in religious processions, and lighted up ‘diyas’.
On other side, the inauguration set dangerous precedents for minorities. The consecration ceremony unfurled as not just a celebration but also as a haunting specter for minorities, particularly Muslims. To Muslims this event is a grief-stricken and unforgettable memory as the temple now stands where the Babri Masjid, which was torn down by Hindutva mobs on December 6, 1992, stood for centuries. The saffronisation of roads and public places and also the religious polarization in the past few days left no other option for Muslims than to stay back in their homes. To some Muslims, 22 December was a self-declared curfew.
Despite these precautions,minorities in India faced many challenges. In Jhabua, some Hindutva mob raised a saffron flag on a church, chanting religious slogans.
[Read more on radiancenews.com]