Modi, BJP CMs undermined secularism: Urdu press on states declaring public holidays for consecration

ThePrint’s round-up of how the Urdu media covered various news events through the week, and the editorial positions some of them took.

Graphic: Ramandeep Kaur | ThePrint

New Delhi: The Ram Lalla consecration at Ayodhya was a key topic in Urdu press editorials this week, with some seeing ominous signs in the event.   

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief ministers of “undermining secularism”, a Siasat editorial on 22 January — the day of the ceremony — said this was the first time some states had declared public holidays for a religious event.

“The construction of the temple is based on the Supreme Court’s verdict, and the inauguration is an effort to cast it as a significant achievement of the BJP and the central government. This is not the success of any party or group,” the editorial further read. “It was a judicial decision that was that was based on evidence and the temple is being constructed based on it. Despite it being the court’s verdict, the BJP continues to exploit it for political gains under various pretexts.” 

While the consecration got wide coverage in the Urdu press, with all three prominent newspapers — Roznama Rashtriya Sahara, Inquilab, and Siasat — carrying editorials on it, significant space was also dedicated to the goings-on in the opposition INDIA bloc and the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

Here’s a roundup of all the news that made it to the front pages and editorials of the Urdu press. 

Violence and Ayodhya 

Urdu newspapers covered not only the consecration at Ayodhya but also the communal clashes reported in various parts of the country in connection with the event — such as in Mira Road on the outskirts of Mumbai. 

Inquilab’s 25 January editorial titled ‘How beneficial is a political society?’ questioned the implications of the “politicisation” of Indian society, particularly in light of the Ram temple event. The editorial came a day before India celebrated its 74th Republic Day. 

Modi’s BJP, the editorial said, was using the Ram temple to gain public trust ahead of this year’s election. “Despite the focus on religion in the prime minister’s speech, (the party’s) political considerations were also evident,” it said, posing the question of whether present-day political dynamics will cause fragmentation of the Indian society. 

An Inquilab editorial published on 24 January posed the question of what would come after the Ram Temple for the BJP. The Ram temple has been on the Sangh Parivar’s agenda since at least the late 1980s and early 90s when the Ram Janmabhoomi movement gathered steam.  

The BJP, the editorial said, will likely highlight the Ram Temple as its achievement for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Those under the illusion that the BJP will, through this temple, secure a victory should remember that even in 2014 — when the party swept to power on a Modi wave — 20 percent of people didn’t vote for the party, it added.

“People should also understand why, despite protests and objections, the consecration was still held on 22 January. It’s because the ruling party understands that while it will benefit from the situation, it won’t be to the point of getting more seats than in 2019 and setting a new record, especially since it’s facing a new political front (the INDIA bloc),” the editorial said.

INDIA bloc

The Urdu press looked at the developments of the Opposition INDIA bloc with a degree of worry, wondering how the fissures in the alliance would pan out during the upcoming election. This comes after both Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann announced their parties, the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — both part of INDIA — would fight the election alone in their states. Meanwhile, another alliance partner, the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), is reportedly looking to return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance fold over a year after he left it. 

An editorial in Siasat on 25 January spoke about the differences that AAP and the Congress had in a state like Punjab, where the parties saw each other as major rivals. 

“Whether it was the AAP or the Congress, they needed to reach an agreement on seat sharing while keeping each other in mind. Both did not do so. The relationship between them wasn’t good (to start with), but they were both given a chance to come closer under the name of the India bloc. But the parties adopted a rigid stance instead of taking a flexible approach.”

This lack of unity could not only harm both parties but the entire alliance, the editorial said.

“At a time when the BJP is reaping political gains from the consecration, all parties in the India bloc should strengthen their relationship with each other and move forward with a common candidate. It’s necessary to come together, but no one (party) wants to understand the situation,” it said. 

An editorial in Sahara on 21 January, meanwhile, talked about the implications of Nitish Kumar leaving the INDIA bloc. 

“If JD(U) goes back to the BJP, winning Bihar elections might not be as easy under the NDA,” it said. “On the other hand, aligning with the NDA would be a significant move for JD(U) and a setback for the opposition alliance in Bihar. The role of Nitish Kumar in the opposition alliance was crucial, but he didn’t receive due importance. Bihar’s political scenario is approaching a crucial stage.”

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

Urdu newspapers also lambasted Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, whom they claimed was “trying to halt” the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Sarma’s government engaged in a war of words with the opposition Congress earlier this week after Rahul Gandhi, who’s spearheading the yatra, was denied permission to enter a temple at Assam’s Nagaon district. 

Labelling Sarma “a dictator”, Siasat’s 24 January editorial said that the Assam CM — with a complete disregard for the dignity of his position — frequently used “uncivilised language” against political opponents. 

“It appears that there’s no such thing as law in Assam anymore, and the CM wants to run the state in his own, arbitrary way,” the editorial said, adding that Sarma, in trying to prove his loyalty to the BJP, spews venom against that party where he started his political career.

Sahara’s editorial the same day, meanwhile, called Sarma “an opportunist” who joined the BJP to whitewash the corruption allegations he faced.

“His politics — marked by violations of principles like secularism, brotherhood, harmony, and justice, and driven by anti-Muslim sentiments — proved successful as he became Assam’s CM,” it said.

“While Assam has seen some development under his tenure, Himanta Biswa Sarma continues to engage in anti-Congress and anti-Muslim politics. His actions against the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and his mockery of Rahul Gandhi are part of the same divisive political strategy. He’s creating an issue out of the new journey (the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,) but his actions are not meant to further his own political ambitions, not benefit the common people,” it added.  

(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)