RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s advice on ‘not trying to find a temple under every mosque’ is a clear signal that such actions do not have the support of the Hindutva establishment. It is not just concern for the damage such actions do to inter-community relations, but also the chance they provide aspiring politicians to take the ‘leadership of Hindus’. The warning will also prevent the general public from responding to every call for ‘restoration’ of temples said to be buried under mosques.
It may be recalled that overzealous cow protectors were very active during PM Modi’s first term, encouraged by the coming to power of a government opposed to minority appeasement. As the lynching of suspected cow smugglers brought a bad name to the Hindutva cause, by the PM’s second term such activity was more or less curtailed. This was done, again, by taking away supposed religious legitimacy from the practice, mostly behind the scenes through injunctions such as the recent Bhagwat statement. The occasional incident reported in the present is more due to local rivalries than anything else.
However, as the developments in Sambhal and elsewhere indicate, there are many temples that have been encroached upon or built over, mostly due to demographic change. It is obvious that where there are no more worshippers, a temple is likely to fall into disuse. The fact that some have their land encroached upon but not been otherwise damaged reveals there is no deliberate hostility towards the structure in most cases. This is a fact for everyone to note.
There is also the argument that while The Places of Worship Act forbids change in the nature of mosques that have existed before 15 August 1947, it does not forbid obtaining information on whether a temple existed at the site earlier. That does open the doors to re-examination of a site. However, it is the intent that matters – whether it is a real desire for knowledge or an excuse for creating a rift between communities. Even the ‘research’ angle can be carried too far when outlandish theories are floated that go in the face of established facts. After Bhagwat’s advice, it can be expected that this trend will diminish considerably and the attempt to bully an already insecure community will end. There is already enough scope in everyday politics to score points.
