CONG LIBERATED NATION, BJP FREES RAM BHOOMI

The visuals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a yellow silk kurta and white dhoti, lying prostrate on ground, a gesture of humility, submission and obeisance, before the Ram Lalla Virajman, will be etched in minds for a long time. After all, it was Modi, L K Advani’s charioteer, who in 1992 was the star campaigner of the nationwide Ram temple movement. Wednesday was his first visit to the riverside town in 29 years; in 1992, he had vowed to return only when a Ram temple was built. PM Modi, amid the elaborate rituals and chanting of hymns, laid the first brick made of silver at the

Janmabhoomi site, where a grand temple will be constructed.

As he did so, he likened the long-drawn struggle for a temple to the independence movement. ‘‘It is an emotional moment. A long wait of centuries has ended, Lord Ram's birthplace has been liberated. A grand temple will now be built for the Lord who had been living under a tent for many years," the PM said.

He stretched the analogy further, bringing within its ambit the struggle for Independence.

''Just like all communities and sections across India came together for the fight for Independence before 1947, today we see that everyone has come together to celebrate this day in togetherness and harmony. This day signifies the sacrifices and resolve of those who fought for the temple, just as August 15 epitomizes India's freedom," said the Prime Minister.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and a motley group of 170 saints, including Uma Bharti, attended the ceremony. But L K Advani, who gave the 'Masjid ko ek dhaka aur do' call to kar sevaks, was conspicuous by his absence. So, was party's other margdarshak MM Joshi. Slogans of "Bharat Mata ki Jai'' and 'Har Har Mahadev'' went up as the ritual ended, indicating that religion remains as potent a force as ever for the BJP, despite the faultlines it has exposed. Only, perforce, it had taken the backseat in these times of pandemic.