Modi Govt Should Refrain from State-Sponsored Temple Consecration !

Modi Govt Should Refrain from State-Sponsored Temple Consecration !

People Should Demand Caste Census as a Weapon against Majoritarian Fascist Polarisation !!

CPI (ML) Red Star

BJP Govt’ s sponsorship of Ram Temple which prime minister Modi himself is scheduled to inaugurate on 22 January, 2024 is unconstitutional, as separation of State from religion is one of the basic features of Indian Constitution. However, since 2014 Indian State power is held by BJP, the political tool of RSS whose ultimate objective is the establishment of a majoritarian theocratic Hindurashtra. As a result, the Indian state being merged with the RSS agenda today, the prime minister has been involved in the construction of Ram Temple since its Bhoomi Pujan a year ago is now going to lead its inauguration too.

As part of this, RSS-BJP is engaged in all sorts of Majoritarian Hindutva polarisation flaring up communal passions against Muslims on the one hand, and forcible integration of the oppressed castes whom Manusmriti identifies as subhumans, in to the Hindutva-fold, on the other. With this view, the RSS and its affiliates have vehemently opposed Caste Census, as, if implemented, it will bring to the fore all inherent contradictions of caste-ridden Indian society especially exposing the extreme concentration of wealth, political and administrative power, etc., with the upper, Brahmanical elite castes who are also integrated with the most corrupt corporate class in India. Hence, while engaging in a malicious anti -Muslim, Hindutva majoritarian polarisation centred around Ram Temple focussing on the forthcoming General Election, the Sangh Parivar is also vehemently opposed to an all India Caste Census arguing that it will destroy social harmony. In fact, RSS-BJP’s Temple campaign is a planned and well-calculated move intended to divert the attention of the vast majority of toiling and oppressed people in the OBC and Dalit castes from the badly needed Caste Census.

At this critical juncture when RSS neofascism is wantonly engaged in an anti-Muslim majoritarian polarisation on the one hand, and trying to integrate oppressed lower castes in to the Hindutva bandwagon vehemently opposing a Caste Census on the other, the Congress like parties in the India Alliance is miserably failing to understand the complexity of the emerging political situation on account of their soft-Hinduva approach. In this context, without falling into the temple-trap set by fascist forces, the working and oppressed people of India who mainly belong to the lower and untouchable castes, should rise up and come forward with a political counter-offensive demanding immediate implementation of an all India Caste Census, which goes against the interests of Brahmanical Manuvadi Hindutva.

Today, when RSS neofascism with its tentacles spread across the macro and micro spaces of India’s entire political, economic and cultural spheres is moving towards the crucial General Election with its ultimate objective of Hindurashtra, and projecting Ram Temple as core campaign material, it is up to the anti-fascist democratic forces to rise up resolutely demanding an All India Caste Census which is the ‘Achilles heel’ of Hindutva fascism. Such a demand can be an effective rallying point for strengthening the antifascist movement comprising all anti-caste, secular, democratic and progressive forces in the country. Vast majority of India’s working people in the unorganised sectors, and all oppressed including women, Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities, especially Muslims can now unite together raising the demand for a countrywide Caste Census.

If a nation-wide broadest possible unity of the people centered on this demand comes forward, then it will directly strike at the very root of Manuvadi caste system that provides both the material and ideological basis of Indian fascism. In the concrete situation of India today, this initiative will be the biggest blow against the large-sale majoritarian polarization that RSS-BJP envisages through the Temple-push in the days ahead. Further, an All India Caste Census can also be used as an effective tool for a basic democratization of caste-ridden Indian society.

Hence CPI (ML) Red Star appeals to all anti-fascist, anti-caste, secular, democratic and left forces to resolutely demand for an immediate All India Caste Census, as a political counter-offensive against the vicious, fascistic agenda behind the projecting Temple as the central issue. As the RSS-BJP has already decided on a no holds barred General Election Campaign focussing on Ram Temple as core campaign agenda, let us, the people of India, unitedly ask Modi govt to refrain from this unconstitutional State-sponsorship of Temple, and instead go for an All India Caste Census which is the need of the hour. All Party Committees joining with all like-mined forces should take the initiative at all levels putting forward the demand for a Caste Census in the proper perspective.

P J James
General Secretary
CPI (ML) Red Star

New Delhi
4th January 2024