Ayodhya’s Second Consecration

 

The second prana pratishtha (consecration) ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya that will open the Ram Durbar (Lord Ram’s court) on the first floor was a low-key event compared to the grand opening of the main garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) on January 22 last year. The auspicious event was attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who turned 53 around the same time but did not have a galaxy of guests in attendance. The decision to keep the scale under control was deliberate as the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, the trust set up to oversee construction of the Ram temple, felt the event was not similar to the opening of the temple, which was a historic event that took place after decades of litigation and centuries after the original temple was razed. The Ram Durbar has idols and displays from the life of Lord Ram after his return to Ayodhya and is an added attraction for devotees. A passage from the sanctum on the ground floor leads to the Durbar where spaces have been created to allow pilgrims to meditate as well. There are limits on the number of people allowed to enter the Durbar at any time as the Nyas is firm on ensuring no crowding takes place. Plans are underway to provide online tickets that will state the time and day for a visit to the temple. The facility will be free of charge but may be made a requirement for devotees as the measure will help the police and the temple management control the daily rush at the temple.

Siddaramaiah Is the Boss

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is learning the hard way that the post of deputy chief minister has no constitutional standing and is no different from any other minister in the state cabinet. Chief ministers have sweeping powers in matters of how departments are run and usually take care to retain charge of personnel and administrative affairs as Siddaramaiah has done. This means the chief minister can transfer and post personnel. Despite Shivakumar’s protests over changes in his department, there isn’t much he can do. By writing a letter in protest to the chief secretary, he has only revealed his helplessness.

India Vindicated

An analysis, ‘The fight Pakistan expected vs the one it got’, by Pakistani defence analysis group Quwa, largely substantiates the Indian account of the May 7-10 hostilities, saying Pakistan’s reliance on the newly acquired missiles and electronic warfare to intercept Indian Air Force’s stand-off strikes failed to pay off. The analysis says the Pakistan Air Force achieved some success but India regrouped and launched a “different kind of fight.” The write-up accepts that “India was able to credibly show that it was able to penetrate Pakistan’s burgeoning defence system.” As things unfolded, the May 6-7 night attacks did hit the targets. And as Quwa notes, “If Brahmos was used at scale, Pakistan’s air power would have been deprecated.”

Khurshid’s Plainspeak on Article 370

Congress veteran Salman Khurshid has been part of the ‘liberal’ consensus that sees BJP as a purveyor of ‘majoritarian’ politics. But he departed from the party line and angered ‘progressives’ when he supported the abrogation of Article 370 while travelling with a parliamentary delegation tasked with explaining the rationale behind Operation Sindoor. His remarks that Pakistan’s quest to reverse the decision is futile did not sit well with the Congress brass. Khurshid’s response, asking whether it was so difficult to be patriotic, has however stumped his critics.

Gurugram’s Watering Hole

A relatively small area of Gurugram called Bristol Chowk has set a record of almost ₹100 crore being bid out for liquor licences. The licence went for a whopping ₹98.6 crore, nearly double than last year. A likely reason is that the period of licence is 22 months instead of 12 months, but even that does not fully explain the bid amount. Situated near the upscale Golf Course Road and the busy market intersection near the Sikandarpur Metro station and MG Road, the area is proof that Gurugram’s burgeoning economy is not plateauing out any time soon.

Pakistan’s Misplaced Moves

A Pakistani team led by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto was in the US in a belated bid to copy Indian parliamentary delegations. Interestingly, Bhutto’s team spent time meeting the Chinese delegation, complaining that India used the Pahalgam terror attack to launch unlawful strikes against Pakistan. The same has no doubt been already conveyed to the Chinese. The logic of travelling to the US to meet Chinese representatives is baffling.

NCC Gets a Boost

Acknowledging the contribution of the National Cadet Corps towards nation-building and in specific programmes like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Naya Sawera and Nasha Mukti Abhiyan, the government has announced the scheme’s expansion by sanctioning an additional intake of three lakh cadets. This is a substantial number and will additionally provide employment opportunities for ex-service personnel. The participation of the NCC contingent in the Republic Day parade is always highly anticipated and the scheme is now well established in schools and organises hundreds of training camps across the country.

AyodhyaIndia-PakistanIndian politicsRam JanmabhoomiSalman KhurshidSiddaramaiah