Missed opportunity to uphold equality

India holds the distinction of being the birthplace of major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Historically, religion has played a significant role in Indian society and politics. Temples and places of worship were not only regarded as sacred places but also entwined with power dynamics and wealth generation. However, Dalits, tribals, and other marginalised groups were denied entry into temples based on the caste hierarchy, and only dominant communities were allowed in temples for worship. Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, considered outcast people, were alienated from mainstream society. Dalits were denied access to not only temples but also to schools, roads, offices, and holy books such as the Vedas.

The temple entry movement, led by prominent people like Sri Narayana Guru, Gandhi, Periyar, and Ambedkar, emerged as a response to discriminatory practices. Instances like Vaikom satyagraha (1924), Amaravati Ambabai temple (1928), Parvati temple in Pune (1929), and Kalaram temple satyagraha (1930) highlighted the exclusion of Dalits from Hindu temples, even though they worshipped Hindu gods. Despite being given the right to religion under the constitutional provisions of fundamental rights (Art. 35–38), Dalits were subjected to exclusion.

The recent Ram Mandir pran pratishtha ceremony, celebrated nationwide, drew international attention. The Prime Minister had categorically stated that the Ram Mandir would reflect justice. One of the greatest travesties of justice in India is the way Dalits and other minority groups have been treated for thousands of years. Ram Mandir presented an opportunity to correct this historic injustice if only the organisers, more so the Prime Minister, had intervened and shown the magnanimity to invite the President or the former President as a symbolic gesture to one of the most celebrated events in recent times.

Inviting the President would have gone one notch higher, as she, besides being the first Adivasi to hold the office, also represents women, 50 per cent of India’s population, who have been battered, bruised, and suffered under Brahminical hegemony. The gesture could have marked another sign of social change towards respecting women and allowing them into the sanctum of sanctorum.

Unfortunately, there were no priests from the Dalit, Adivasi, or Shudra communities in the new Ram temple, as temple entry for them is still an elusive privilege in many parts of rural India. Even now, mantras and slokas are in Sanskrit, known as the language of gods, which only the privileged classes were allowed to learn. It is also the official language at temples all over India, except in a few regions, like Tamil Nadu.

There was also a controversy in Rajasthan where the money collected by the Dalits to prepare prasadam was rejected by casteist Hindus because the sanctity would be lost. In Karnataka, the Mysuru MP Pratap Simha was stopped by locals from offering prayers at the village from where the stone for the Ram Lalla idol was sourced for his alleged anti-Dalit stand. These controversies could have been put to rest if a member of the marginalised community had presided over the consecration ceremony.

While Ramrajya is envisioned as an egalitarian state, an idea close to Mahatma Gandhi’s heart, the stark reality, as revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau, is that Dalits and Adivasis, particularly their women, continue to face increasing atrocities and marginalisation. The Human Development Indices also indicate that these communities do not receive the benefits of government schemes, and all indicators point towards the discrimination they face at various levels. Under such circumstances, Ramrajya remains a mirage to the voiceless. There is a need to change this fact as well as the image of the country.

The recent Ram Mandir consecration could have been a transformative moment, promoting inclusivity and correcting historical injustices. However, vested interests and political considerations took precedence over addressing the grievances of marginalised groups.

There is no point in filling executive posts with people belonging to marginalised communities; to truly uphold constitutional values, the newly constructed Ram Mandir must embody secularism, brotherhood, and equality, transcending differences based on caste, race, gender, language, religion, and region.

(Newman is the Principal of St. Joseph’s Evening College (Autonomous) and Associate Professor, Dept of History, St Joseph’s University. Kumar is the head of the Dept of International Relations, Peace and Public Policy, St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru)