August 5 'Deliberately' Chosen as Ayodha Bhoomi Pujan Date to Coincide with J&K 'Demolition': CPI-M

The CPI(M) on Thursday alleged that the government has "deliberately" chosen August 5 as the date of the bhoomi pujan ceremony for the Ram temple at Ayodhya as the "demolition" of Jammu and Kashmir and the rebuilding of the temple are both "core agendas of Hindutva forces".

Last year on August 5, the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution was announced. This provision provided special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, that was turned into a Union territory.

"The prime minister is going to lay the first brick in the foundation ceremony of a religious place of worship, thereby violating the secular principle of the State. Thanks to the judgment of the Supreme Court based on dubious grounds, the building of the temple at Ayodhya has been legitimised," the CPI(M) mouthpiece People's Democracy said in its latest editorial.

"August 5 has been chosen as the date for 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony of the Ram temple at Ayodhya. This date has been chosen deliberately - the demolition of J&K and the building of the temple at the site of the Babri Masjid - are both part of the core agenda of the Hindutva forces," it said.

The editorial said the court, which held the demolition of the mosque "as a serious violation of law", sanctioned the building of the temple and thereby gave primacy to the faith of the majority.

"The same Supreme Court has not found the time to give a verdict on the constitutional amendment and legislation which illegally tampered with Article 370 and dismantled a state. This is another instance of judicial evasion," it said.

The editorial also said several secular opposition parties have been unwilling to take a firm stand that the special status and statehood of Jammu and Kashmir should be restored.

"They seek to reduce the matter to only the release of political prisoners and restoration of democratic rights. This is a compromising stand. The fight for democracy, secularism and federalism requires a clear-cut stand statehood along with special status for JK must be restored. Not to do so would further diminish India as a secular democracy," it said.