RSS No.2 ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi leads frenzied crowd in demanding Ram Temple from Modi govt

Senior RSS leader Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi addresses during Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) | PTI

At the VHP-organised ‘Virat Dharmsabha’ in the capital, many Hindu leaders and saints called to the govt and the judiciary to build the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

New Delhi: The demand to build the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya reached a fever pitch at the capital’s Ramlila Maidan Sunday, as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Narendra Modi government face the veiled wrath of its ideological parent the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi, the RSS’s sarkaryavah (general secretary) said “those in power” who had promised to build the temple “should listen to the people and fulfil the demand”.

Chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, interspersed with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, reverberated across the sprawling maidan as thousands descended for the ‘Virat Dharmsabha’ organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). The crowds — mostly from across NCR and western Uttar Pradesh — kept swelling throughout the day, forcing the authorities to turn away bus-loads of people.

The enthusiasm of the people provided a boost to those on the dais — saffron-clad saints and leaders of the VHP as well as the RSS. The ‘representatives of the Hindu society’ present on stage took turns to deliver their speeches—some relatively mellow, some bordering on incendiary, some almost threatening and some rather melodramatic.

The tone may have varied, but the message remained the same—ire at the Supreme Court for not according ‘priority’ to the Ayodhya land dispute case, and a clear message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government at the Centre to step in and bring in a law to facilitate the construction of the temple.

‘Mandir wahin, masjid nahin’ (the temple will be built there, not a mosque) and ‘Aahuti baaki hai, yagya adhoora hai’ were some examples of the aggressive and high-decibel slogans being given by those on the dais, with the crowds dutifully chanting along.

‘We are not begging for it’

The speeches during Sunday’s event, presided over by Swami Avdheshanand Giri, were high-pitched and designed to play to the hardcore Hindutva galleries.

‘Virat Dharmsabha’ organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) | Ruhi Tewari/ThePrint

“In around 3,000 spots, temples were demolished and mosques or crematoriums were built. This was done to break the morale of the Hindu community. We were patient for a long time but the court still didn’t take a decision on the matter,” said VHP international working president Alok Kumar in Delhi.

“In the case relating to the demolition of the mosque structure, the Supreme Court said justice will be done even if heavens fall. But in this matter, the court says it has other priorities. The Hindu community cannot keep waiting.”

Kumar said people had voted for the BJP since it promised to build the temple, and it must do so now. “This demand isn’t just from the BJP, but from all parties, including the one whose president has now started wearing a janeu,” he said, referring to Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

VHP’s former international general secretary Champat Rai added it was the dharma of the government and the judiciary to ensure that the temple is built at the disputed site.

“Stop disrespecting us. Understand our priority. The priorities of the Hindu society and Hindustan should be the same — we need to end all symbols of our subjugation,” Rai said.

‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi, meanwhile, was welcomed on stage with chants of ‘Om’, as he went on to attack the BJP in a veiled manner.

“Those in power today had promised to construct a Ram temple. They should listen to the people and fulfil the demand of a temple in Ayodhya. They are aware of the sentiments,” Joshi said.

“We are not begging for it. We are expressing our emotions. The country wants Ram rajya. A Ram rajya where there is justice, security, development, protection of all faiths and peace. The construction of the temple will lay the foundation for this Ram rajya.

“We want this issue to be resolved peacefully. The chants of Jai Shri Ram will reach the Supreme Court and we hope it will respect this sentiment,” Joshi said.

Nothing subtle about it

Not all on the stage, however, put on even a semblance of restraint.

“Those who oppose the Ram temple, come forward if you have the guts. The kar sevaks will teach you a lesson. It will be difficult to determine your whereabouts. The Supreme Court says Ram is not priority, but they eagerly take off on Ram Navami,” said Jagatguru Ramanand Hansdevacharya.

Sadhvi Ritambhara, known for her firebrand speeches, lived up to her reputation. “Our patience is lost when we see a dust-covered Ram statue. We have borne a lot, but it has now reached its limit,” she said.

Then, there were saints who warned they “didn’t want to take the law” in their own hands and “didn’t want to be forced to take any decision”.

Another sought to ask the apex court why it couldn’t accord priority to this issue even as it sat at midnight to hear some other cases.

Allahabad being renamed Prayagraj and Faizabad districted now re-christened as Ayodhya were facts brought up with great pride in some speeches. Some even managed to bring in references to Pakistan, raising the Hindutva pitch to another level.

The attendees

As Jai Shri Ram met Bharat Mata ki Jai Sunday, it was difficult to ignore how lines between the passionate sentiments of a religious community and the nation as a whole were getting blurred.

The massive crowds gathered both outside and inside Ramlila Maidan burst into sloganeering and chants at the slightest of cues. This was an evidently charged crowd, waiting to be rallied into a frenzy.

Crowds gathered both outside and inside Ramlila Maidan | Ruhi Tewari/ThePrint

“I live in Gautam Nagar. I’ve been an RSS worker since 1990. There was no way we were going to miss this event. We want the temple constructed in Ayodhya, and don’t care how it is done. Both the government and the court should listen to us,” said Rakesh Kumar Kaushal.

Pawan Tiwari—who came from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh—said he wanted to be part of this event to “throw weight behind the cause”.

“We will keep chanting Jai Shri Ram till the government and court are forced to listen to us. I have come with a group of 25 people so that we can also make our voice be heard,” he said.

The high-pitched VHP event is just a pre-cursor to how defeaning and bellicose the demand for the Ram temple might get in months to come.

An earlier version of the report identified VHP international working president Alok Kumar as “senior RSS leader”. The error is regretted.