The matter about the central government’s plan to link North East region with the Hindu circuit proves true as reported in ‘Indian Express’, than the rumours about the hidden agenda of BJP being backed by Hindu fanatics cannot be ruled out. There is nothing wrong with any missionary wanting to expand their religious thoughts, but if the motive is being pursued by a government, than it will definitely amount to sabotaging the secular nature of the entire country. If the reported matter is a real government issue than many non-Hindu citizens of the country will be heartbroken. Such a move is bound to hurt the sentiments of hundreds of thousands.
It is a fact that the BJP and its allies managed to secure an unprecedented majority in the last Parliamentary election. It is also a fact that many of the BJP candidates who won in that parliamentary election were elected by non-Hindu voters. There were Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and other minority voters who elected them. Religion was never an issue in the last election but it was about good governance- rather the quest for good governance. People elected BJP under the leadership of Narendra Damodardas Modi because people have faith in him as almost the entire country has been fed up of the dynastic rule of the congress party, made worse by rampant corruption and policy paralysis. Narendra Modi, the lone person who succeeded in capturing the hearts of the millions of Indians is indeed a role model when it comes to good political practice and decisive governance. His leadership has brought a drastic change to the administration of the country- all for the better. People across the country irrespective of their cast or religion started believing in him and his dynamic and hands-on style of governance. It was never because of his Hindu background that the people of the country elected him to lead the country. In around seven months of his governance opposing political parties were left with no choice but to watch, wait and forage for any shred of doubt in what he has been doing for the people of the country.
Now, the new move to Hinduize the whole of the North East by linking in the Hindu circuit is going to face a lot of criticism and resistance when it comes to the state of Manipur, for, even as the Hindus are the majority, the revivalist movement of the traditional Meitei religion is swiftly gaining momentum.
As reported in the Indian Express reproduced in the Imphal based daily Sangai Express, temples in the Northeast related to the mythology of Krishna will be linked with the established pilgrimage circuit in Mathura, Vrindavan and Gujarat. The Vaishnav tradition of Tripura and the three Shakti peets – Kamakhya in Assam, Jyanti in Meghalaya and Tripura Sansari Temple in Tripura will be linked with the overall pilgrimage circuit.
There is nothing wrong when such a sensitive initiative is being taken up by a religious body which is not related with the government. But if this initiative is being taken up by the government than the matter is sure to land into catastrophe. Mr. Narendra Modi, whom the people of the country believe is the one and only leader of the multi ethnic and multi religious community should intervene into the matter and stay away from any issues relating to the religious matter, more so when the move is bound to be interpreted as favouring a particular religion or faith. This is a very serious, delicate and sentimental issue, and should be treated as such.
