The Supreme Court recently ruled that the it will decide on the date for Ayodhya hearing in January next year as this was not a priority. The news came as a rude shock for the BJP and TV channels functioning as the mouthpieces for the Hindu nationalist party. Frustrated over not being able to extract the much-needed electoral advantage on Ram temple issue in Ayodhya, the party and its supporters have unleashed an unprecedented attack on the Supreme Court.
Last week Janta Ka Reporter how Times Now had thrown the editorial ethics out of the window with its reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision. Days later, the RSS astonishingly hinted that the delay in hearing by the Supreme Court may cause a 1992-like situation. In 1992, Hindutva terrorists led by BJP top brass had demolished the 16th century Babri mosque. The demolition had led to countrywide communal pogroms that killed thousands of people, mostly Muslims. The Muslim community continues to await justice for those crimes against humanity.
Now, another top BJP leader has joined the RSS in issuing a veiled threat to India’s highest court repeating more or less of what Bhaiyyaji Joshi of the RSS said a few days ago. Ram Madhav, who made his transition from the RSS to the BJP, has said that the Hindu community was anxious by the delay. News agency ANI quoted him as saying, “The Supreme Court had itself spoken about holding hearings on the issue from October 29 in front of a fresh bench. Now the Supreme Court is saying the bench will be hear it three months later, in January. The Hindu community and all the organisations supporting Ram Mandir are anxious. The RSS has articulated that.”
Joshi of the RSS had said, “Will not hesitate to launch an agitation for Ram temple, if needed, but since the matter is in the Supreme Court, there are restrictions.”
The BJP was desperately hoping that the current dispensation in the Supreme Court will function the same way it did during the reign of the then Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra. His departure appears to have put paid to BJP’s hopes.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if these individuals are booked under promoting hate speech and contempt of court.