Amol Kolhe wins internet with his poem on Pran Pratishtha
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP from Pune, Amol Kolhe, on Friday slammed the government in his parliament speech for what he perceived as the politicisation of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony. Kolhe conveyed his reservations through poetry, a video of which has since gone viral and has been shared by numerous opposition politicians.
Kolhe is an actor turned politician who is the current Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Shirur in Pune district and a member of the NCP.
Using a Hindi poem to articulate his stance, Kolhe asserted that the government was neglecting pressing issues and instead employing the Ram Temple as a distraction tactic.
The video commences with Amol Kolhe extending congratulations on the inauguration of the Ram temple. The poem unfolds with the lines: "Toh kisine kaha bina kalash ke pran pratishtha kaise hogi, kisi ne kaha jab chunav hi pran ho toh socho kaunsi pratishtha daanv pe lagi hogi (Someone questioned how the pran pratishtha ceremony happened without a kalash… someone suggested that when the election itself is life, consider the stakes of prestige)."
“Log toh kuch kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kenha, aap jan ki baat mat sunna, sirf mann ki baat karna (People will keep saying something, it's their job. You don't listen to them, just express own thoughts),” Kolhe recited.
Continuing with his recitation, he remarked that as people ascended the temple stairs, various concerns emerged.
On the first step, thoughts of inflation arose, followed by considerations of escalating unemployment on the second step. The third step brought attention to media sycophancy, while the fourth step highlighted the questionable conduct of central agencies.
Each step served as a reminder of different issues: from unfulfilled promises such as the Rs 15 lakh pledge to the grievances of farmers, the struggles of female wrestlers, and the commitment to generate two crore jobs annually. Amidst these realities, communalism prevailed, juxtaposed with a government seen as favouring corporate interests. Despite these stark truths, he lamented, people continued to tread forward blindly.
“He smiled and said ‘I am today, I was here yesterday and will be here tomorrow. As much I am in this temple, I will live in your heart… Whether you are here or not, they are here or not, the nation must survive, its Constitution must survive, its democracy must survive and this nation must remain a nation,” Kolhe added.
“A nation is not made of buildings and bridges but from the people and the feeling of patriotism in their hearts. Every countryman wants to spend his life in an environment free of fear,” he said in conclusion.