Poll Wheels XI

The biggest milestone in this long journey has to be the Ram-Mandir movement which in 1992 saw the demolition of Babri Mosque. Has the city of Ayodhya also seen a spectacular growth, post the movement, just like the BJP has, or has it remained frozen in the past? What does a resident of Ayodhya think about Ram Mandir/Babri Masjid? Does it still influence his political decision? These were a few questions in my mind which forced me to venture in to the city.

While entering the disputed site, I was under awe. What would it be like? What added fuel to this fire was the high level of security. State police, paramilitary forces, Black-cat commandos, Army, you name it and it바카라�s there. One has to pass through four check-points before entering the 'fortress.' I have never felt as 바카라�violated바카라� during frisking as I felt at these check-points. Their deft fingers even check for a possible weapon between your buttocks.

Inside the 바카라�fortress바카라�, I was behind two police constables, one of whom was going inside for the first time despite being on-duty for the past two years. When we reached the alleged birth-place, our eyes were searching for traces of Lord Rama. The idols were so small and the distance so long, we couldn바카라�t immediately spot them.

바카라�Where is the god?바카라� asked Raj Kumar Yadav, the first timer constable.

바카라�There,바카라� replied his friend pointing towards the idols.

바카라�Oh the thing resembling a ***** is the idol?바카라� he inquired innocently. His friend was looking at him astonished and I was in splits. The two priests were amused as well but were trying to hide their smile. No, he didn바카라�t say anything blasphemous. Even your eyes could have made the similar mistake. But this mistake reduced the tension and the uneasiness in the atmosphere.

Shouldn바카라�t it be always like that? Shouldn바카라�t the present and the future of Ayodhya be given priority over the past? Shouldn바카라�t people be allowed to live a life sans all the suspicion and distrust?

There is an area (around the disputed structure) which has been acquired by the central government but there is also an adjoining area which isn바카라�t, yet one has to pass through the barriers. 바카라�If a relative comes to meet me, I have to come down to the barrier to receive him. Furnish my identity proof and validate his authenticity, Karamveer, a young resident of this ancient city who has a house falling in this unofficial red-zone, said. 바카라�When I purchased a fridge, I had to give a demonstration to these (security) guys how it works and that it바카라�s safe to let it in,바카라� he continued. Such is the smothering grip of security, you simply can바카라�t live there, he said resignedly. Thankfully, he has another house far away from the disputed structure where he lives presently 바카라� in peace.

When so much politics is played in the name of Lord Rama, how can his alleged birthplace remain cordoned off from it? The two priests, sitting there to give prasad and collect donations were discussing whether Kejriwal would be a disruptive agent in an otherwise smooth sail for Modi. 바카라�Congress is totally silent in Varanasi on Modi,바카라� observed the junior. 바카라�Of course. Why would they speak? They must be thinking, 바카라�When he (Kejriwal) is doing our job, why should we be worried?바카라�바카라� inferred the senior.

Sitting in the epicentre of Hindutva, the views of one of the temple priests (who provided me with lunch but not his name) were quite a surprise, if not shock, to me. He blamed the BJP for not constructing the Ram Temple. 바카라�They simply came and turned it into ruins. They actually didn바카라�t want to build it,바카라� he said. On the contrary, he praised the then Congress government for providing security to the area. He was also against holding monkeys and cows sacred. In the context of the place and his position, his views seemed seriously radical.

Bharatdas Shastri, a priest living at Hanuman Gadhi wasn바카라�t happy with the early exit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). 바카라�There is a difference between blabbing while sitting in Lucknow and coming here to observe first-hand. Similarly, there is a difference between lashing out accusations at other parties and executing a given responsibility. (I was like, 바카라�Man, did you just compliment me?바카라�)

As the priests, so were the security guards; everybody seemed to be engrossed in the electoral potpourri.

Blistering shouts of kar sevaks demolishing the Babri Mosque startled me the moment I came out. Every second shop seems to be selling a CD by the name 'Kar Sewa 6 December: a blood-strewn history'. Sure, the video is factual but the voiceover is so venomous, it invariably poisons your mind. It validates the demolition of Babri Masjid and holds kar sevaks equivalent to Kargil war martyrs. How can this propaganda go on so blatantly and unhindered right under the nose of such tight security?

Who were these people, by the way, who demolished the mosque? Ordinary men like Mr Sonkar, swayed by ephemeral passions. 바카라�I have been to the temple only twice,바카라� he told. 바카라�Once to visit, the other time to demolish,바카라� he clarified. After the demolition, I brought back two bricks, on which crescent moon were embossed, as souvenir.

Is he a big shot? No. He happens to be a Dalit.

Does he have a political clout? No. He had to pay Rs 1000 to get an FIR (First Information Report) registered against a guy who broke his hand.

But his views otherwise seemed progressive. 바카라�There should be development based politics, not caste based,바카라� he said. And probably that바카라�s why, he has left his traditional camp of Bahujan Samaj Party and is backing Modi.

Mr Sonkar is associating development with Modi. But there are umpteen people in Ayodhya who associate Mandir with Modi. 바카라�Temple will be constructed only when Modiji will come to power,바카라� said Aman, a waiter at Kanak Bhavan바카라�the most famous and very economical restaurant in Ayodhya. Despite the matter being in Supreme Court, people believe that Modi would somehow device a way to build the proposed Ram Temple. Employment and prosperity (Ram Rajya) would follow, they think.