The BJP’s defeat is ominous as the party projected the construction of the Ram temple on the ruins of the historic Babri Masjid in Ayodhya as one of its major achievements.
Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Hindutva supporters have launched a hate campaign against Ayodhya residents after the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) candidate suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Samajwadi Party’s Dalit candidate in Faizabad.
The BJP’s defeat is ominous as the party projected the construction of the Ram temple on the ruins of the historic Babri Masjid in Ayodhya as one of its major poll planks. BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, glorified their victory on the temple issue during election rallies in clear contravention of the guidelines set by the Election Commission. However, the temple issue did not transform into votes and the BJP candidate Lallu Singh lost to SP’s Awadesh Prasad by over 56,000 votes.
The humiliating defeat did not go well with the supporters of the BJP and people affiliated with the Hindutva ideology.
Daksh Chaudhry, a Hindutva leader who was previously involved in hate crime and violence, used abusive and filthy language for the people of Ayodhya calling them “namak haram” (ungrateful).
“You have shitted on the same people who fed you. Caste is bigger than the religion and country for your….. Today, you made the party which had opened fire at the Karsevaks win while you defeated the party which brought Lord Ram back home,” said Chaudhry in a viral video.
Another Hindutva protagonist sitting beside Chaudhry in a car called the people of Ayodhya “traitors”.
“You people will have to pay for it,” the video shows him warning them.
Both had attacked Congress candidate Kanhaiya Kumar when he was campaigning in Northeast Delhi.
Another Hindutva bigot named Chandan Sharma, who described himself as “Sanatani”, called on the Ram devotees not to buy anything from Ayodhya when they visit the temple.
“After taking a bath in the Saryu river, go straight to see Ram Lalla, there is no need to buy anything in Ayodhya, take the Prasad from your home, after offering there, come straight back home, Ram traitors should also realise what a big crime they have committed. Buying anything from the shopkeepers in Ayodhya is like strengthening these Ram traitors,” said Sarma.
Several people have pointed out that these remarks echo the calls for an economic boycott of Muslims by several Hindutva leaders and organisations.
On social media site X, others called Hindus from Ayodhya “transgenders.” A user even wrote that he will not visit Ayodhya anymore.
On Facebook too, Hindutva people abused the residents of Ayodhya and Uttar Pradesh. They said that Ayodhya residents should not be called “real Hindus” as they committed treason. One user even said Ayodhya residents cannot be reformed.
Other social media users have slammed the hate campaign against the Ayodhya residents. Journalist Kuahsik Raj said “BJP supporters should stop the hate and boycott campaigns against Hindus of Ayodhya. Hindus are not slaves of Modi or BJP. They will vote for whoever they like. They have chosen Awadhesh Prasad, who is a leader coming from Dalit community and is a record 9 times veteran MLA”.
Some journalists also pointed out the suffering of Ayodhya residents when dozens of houses, shops, temples and mosques were demolished to build a road for the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
In an interview with Rediff.com, Suman Gupta, a senior journalist based in Faizabad, said that the demolition drive in Ayodhya caused widespread resentment among the locals.
“There was an undercurrent against the BJP in the Awadh and Poorvanchal regions of Uttar Pradesh where the election became forward versus backward castes. The Most Backward Castes and Dalits came together against the BJP this time,” she said.
“Secondly, the problem for the BJP came with the beautification of Ayodhya. Many people in Ayodhya lost their land, homes and shops to the government diktat. They did not get proper compensation too and this caused resentment among voters,” she said.
