In what is being seen as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s strategic response to the opposition on the “Ramcharitmanas controversy”, the state government has decided to organize Akhand Ramayana Path on the Ashtami and Navami of the Chaitra Navratri period beginning March 22. Is. The festivities end on the ninth day, which is also Ram Navami. Orders in this regard have been issued to all district magistrates across the state on March 10.
This is the first time in Yogi Adityanath’s nearly six years as chief minister that such specific instructions have been issued for organizing Ramayana recitations. Observers say this clearly indicates that the CM wants to convey a larger political message apart from his personal devotion and religious reverence for Navratri and Lord Ram.
Mukesh Meshram, Principal Secretary, Department of Culture, Government of UP, had issued a circular addressed to all commissioners and district magistrates on March 10. In this, officials have been directed to organize committees with common people at district, block and village level to carry out religious activities in selected temples from March 22.
The order, a copy of which has been accessed by News18, mentions that the holy days of Navratri have great religious significance when a large number of devotees worship nine different avatars of Goddess Durga. Therefore, the state government wants to make this experience of devotion more memorable for the people.
The order also states that the government wants to increase participation of women and girls in religious rituals and is planning mass religious events such as “paths” (chanting) of “Durga Stuti” (prayer) at various Durga temples and major Shaktipeeths. Is. across the state.
Point number 3 in the circular makes interesting reading. It added, “In order to further strengthen human, social and national values and ensure their further dissemination, it has been directed to organize Akhand Ramayana Path at all levels from district to tehsil and blocks.” District officials have been told. Make sure to recite Ramayana on both 29th March Ashtami and 30th March Ramnavami.
An amount of one lakh rupees has also been sanctioned to each district for such events. Orders have also been issued to put up hoardings and banners advertising these efforts of the government around the temples.
Just a gust of devotion or politics?
UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya denied the allegation that the move was politically motivated. “Uttar Pradesh is the land of Lord Ram. Any program to perpetuate the legacy of Lord Ram should be welcomed. What is wrong if we seek the blessings of Goddess Durga for the universal welfare of mankind?” He said.
The opposition, especially the Samajwadi Party, which has been accused of fueling the BJP’s attempts to malign the Ramcharitmanas as backward and anti-Dalit, seems to be in a bind. Some of its leaders have supported the government’s move, but with some caveats.
SP President and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Tweeted welcoming the Yogi government, but added that the amount of money allocated for each district is negligible and should be increased to Rs 10 crore.
BJP’s Muslim face and former minister Mohsin Raza immediately hit back. He said, ‘What the SP is saying now is nothing but nonsense. When Akhilesh was the chief minister, not a single penny was given for places like Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura. ,
This step has been taken after Yogi criticized the opposition in the Legislative Assembly
Sources in the government told News18 that this decision to organize Akhand Ramayana Path during Navratri was taken recently after Yogi Adityanath’s forceful speech on the issue from the floor of the Legislative Assembly.
When a section of backward caste leaders of the Samajwadi Party recently tried to drum up OBC sentiment by targeting the Ramcharitmanas, the BJP was not keen to get involved. BJP leaders say that the latest step is the most befitting reply to the opposition’s move.
The BJP had given the responsibility of finding answers to CM Yogi Adityanath, the chief priest of Gorakhnath Peeth in Gorakhpur. Party leaders say that there could have been no better leader than Yogi to take on the SP on the issue of Ramcharitmanas. After this, Yogi broke his silence during the recently concluded assembly session.
Hitting out at the opposition, the UP CM had said that “the opposition, especially the Samajwadi Party, does not realize the contribution of Goswami Tulsidas, who wrote Ramcharitmanas in the 16th century.” Someone attempting to revive Hindu pride, he also said that “by insulting Manas, the opposition is insulting millions of people who have great faith in the text.”
Observers say that this decision to recite Ramcharitmanas now is clearly BJP’s aggressive reply to the opposition. He argues that perhaps after the initial days of indecisiveness on the issue, the BJP and Yogi Adityanath have regained their belief that it was the name of Lord Ram and the ideology of Hindutva that helped them weaken the strong caste consciousness in the state And Lord Ram will help them build up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, an election battle ahead of which the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya is also set to be inaugurated.
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