‘Soft Hindutva of Congress Has Brought Us Here’ - Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan followed the CPI(M) politburo's strong criticism of the Modi government on the Ram Mandir issue, with a direct attack on the Congress party and leader Priyanka Gandhi who had earlier tweeted support.

"I am not surprised at Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's statement. It shouldn't surprise you all either, is what I think. We know what has been the stand of Congress at all times. What was Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao's stand... Their reaction is part of history," he said.

Rajiv Gandhi had allowed shilanyas for the temple and followed it with a call for Ram Rajya from then Faizabad. Rao had presided over the demolition of the mosque, calling a cabinet meeting long after the makeshift temple had been constructed at the spot.

"If the Congress had a clear concept of secularism, this situation wouldn't have risen for India. Soft Hindutva is what Congress always followed. When Sangh Parivar activists charged towards the Babri Masjid to demolish it, who turned a blind eye towards it and remained indifferent?"Vijayan asked.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had tweeted in Hindi, "Simplicity, courage, restraint, sacrifice, commitment, are the essence of the name Deenbandhu Ram. Ram is with everyone, Ram is with everyone." She manages the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. And again, "With the message and grace of Lord Ram and Mother Sita, the Bhoomipujan ceremony of the temple of Ram Lalla became an occasion for national unity, fraternity and cultural congregation.”

Interestingly Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, MP from Thiruvananthapuram legitimised Vijayan’s words through tweets where he said, "Let's be clear: @INCIndia was NEVER opposed to the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, but to the criminal demolition of the BabriMasjid. In 1989, Rajiv Gandhi allowed VHP to do shilanyas on non-disputed land nearby as an alternate site"

"At the same time it was NOT Rajiv Gandhi who ordered the opening of the locks at the masjid, but the district judge of Faizabad who ordered the locks to be opened in 1986!" he said. Arun Nehru, a close aide of Rajiv Gandhi and Minister in government, is credited with the plan that had the media at the spot to record the unlocking even before the court ruling. This came after the government had received flak for intervening in the Supreme Court ruling on the Shah Bano case, and passing a law to negate its positive impact.

"Some Left-liberal intellectuals are accusing @INCIndia of being BJP-Lite. Yes, many leaders welcomed the Ram temple after the SC judgement. But they did NOT instigate Hindus against Muslims.They did NOT make hate speeches against the Muslim community.They hailed the ideal Ramji." Mr Tharoor added. But Vijayan was clear that this ‘soft Hindutva’ of the Congress paved the way for all that has followed. As he said, “"If the Congress had a clear concept of secularism, this situation wouldn't have risen for India. Soft Hindutva is what Congress always followed. “

CPI-M and CPI are the only two political parties to denounce the developments in strong terms. Describing it as a “dark day for democracy and secularism in India’ both hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for laying the foundation stone of the temple as head of government. C{I-M General secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “The bhoomi pujan provided retrospective legitimisation for the destruction of the Babri Masjid. The Supreme verdict described this as an ‘egregious violation of law’ and called for punishment of those who committed this act. The construction has begun before any such punishment. The function is a naked exploitation of people’s religious sentiments for partisan, political purposes and brazenly violates the letter and spirit of the Indian Constitution.”