Ayodhya's sadhus hit out at BJP 'betrayal'

Lucknow: Ayodhya, the city that catapulted BJP to the pinnacle of political power several summers ago, is seething with rage. At the Hanuman Garhi temple, the priests are familiar with journalists walking in and out for opinions and do not hesitate to talk aloud.

"BJP ne sabko dokha diya. Pehle Bhagwan ko, phir sadhu ko and ab janata ko. Na Ram Mandir banwaya, na sadhu ko samman diya aur na logon ki bhawana dekhi. Ab Ram ko chhod kar, susashan ki baat kar rahe hain (BJP betrayed us all, first god, then the seers, and now the public. They didn’t make the Ram temple, didn’t respect the seers nor the people’s feelings. They have abandoned Ram but are talking about good

governance)," says Baba Avadhoot, a local priest.

Seers in Ayodhya, more political than the local politicians, are sharply divided, one group supports former MP Vinay Katiyar while another lobbies for former MLA Lallu Singh.

With the BJP nominating Lallu Singh as its candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, caste divisions have also sharpened among the people and the seers. Brahmins, known to be hostile towards Thakurs, are opposing Lallu Singh and so are the OBCs among the seers.

"We don’t care if the candidate is a brahmin or a thakur for us it matters how much of a Ram Bhakt (Ram devotee) he is and we feel that Vinay

Katiyar is a bigger Ram Bhakt and had played a bigger role in the Ayodhya movement. He deserved the ticket more than anyone else," says Ragho Pandit, a priest belonging to the OBC community in the Nirvani Akhara.

A section of seers are upset because they feel the BJP has abandoned Lord Ram and opted for Lord Shiva, whose abode is Varanasi. BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is contesting the Varanasi seat and the BJP focus has obviously shifted

there.

"Ram ko chhod gaye, bhool gaye, ab Shiv ki sharan mein hain. Kal Shiv ko bhi chhod denge. Aisi BJP hamari to nahin thi (They have abandoned Ram, forgotten him. They have now gone over to Shiv. Tomorrow they will leave Shiv too. Ours was not such a BJP)," says Baba Agnidas, another seer in Digambar Akhara.

The candidature of Mr Narendra Modi, apparently, has little impact on the temple town and the factionalism in the BJP has percolated down to factions among the seers.The sadhus have another reason to be angry, apart from the selection of candidate. They feel that the BJP has deliberately sidelined the "heroes of Ayodhya".

"The BJP has dumped the likes of Dr Ram Vilas Vedanti, Swami Chinmayanand, and even Dr Murli Manohar Joshi was forced to change his seat. Mr L.K. Advani has repeatedly been insulted. Is this how they treat those who played key roles in the Ayodhya movement?

Vinay Katiyar, in fact, was denied a ticket only because he is perceived to be close to Advani," said Ragho Pandit.

Lallu Singh, the BJP candidate, brushes aside the remarks and says, "All saints are a respected lot and they have every right to be angry. I am like their son and they will have to bless me. They will go with the BJP once the ruffled feathers are soothed. I am confident of my victory because my victory is the victory of all saints here."

Mr Vinay Katiyar could not be contacted and his mobile phone remained switched off. Vishwa Hindu Parishad media in-charge Sharad Sharma also downplays the seers’ anger and explains, "They may have their own reasons to be angry but they will finally go with the BJP, they will certainly not support the Samajwadi Party or the BSP or the Congress. This is an election for Modi and petty issues will not matter."