BJP’s Ayodhya showdown: Development and loss concerns eclipse religious agenda

New Delhi: The performance, measured against the ambitious goals set by the Bharatiya Janata Party, has been somewhat lacklustre in the recent general elections, particularly the Hindi heartland Uttar Pradesh played a major role as the BJP suffered a shock defeat in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency.

BJP lost Faizabad – the Ayodhya constituency where the Ram Mandir has been built – despite seeking votes on this basis. Experts suggest that the Dalit vote in the state favoured the INDIA bloc and that issues of development and unemployment overshadowed religious concerns.

However, it wasn’t just Dalit votes. Millennium Post spoke to locals and found that deprivation of basic facilities under the BJP also frustrated voters, leading them to choose Samajwadi Party’s Awadhesh Prasad, even though they feel he is not an ideal candidate for Ayodhya. BJP’s Lallu Singh received 499,722 votes, while Prasad garnered 554,289 votes.

Behind the glitz of the sparkling Ram Lala temple lies a dark side: the issue of land grabbing. Thousands of locals from various communities took to the streets to protest against the seizure of their land and the demolition of their houses to make way for the temple and other infrastructure, sparking widespread anger among residents. On the cusp of celebration, the dominance of Vishwa Hindu Parishad-led temple trust transgressed the lawful method and wealth has gone to the rich in the name of development.

Amidst the glamour and grandeur of radiant Ayodhya, much like the revered Ram Lalla, the people are reduced to mere ornaments. Locals informed that approximately 4,000 shops and homes have been demolished to make way for road-widening projects and the overall beautification of Ayodhya.

People were scared of the government and decided to give up their land because they believed it was for the sake of Ram. If it weren’t for the constant religious celebrations and the positive stories told by the mainstream media, things might have been different. The people who lost their homes could not speak out against it because they were afraid of being called “anti-Hindu.” It’s well-known that the VHP has been collecting money for a Ram temple for years. Further, the poor compensation. But now, they showed the mandate.

The local authorities in Ayodhya imposed restrictions on vehicular movement in the city as a massive turnout of devotees to offer prayers at the Ram Mandir. The authorities in Ayodhya have imposed a halt on all incoming vehicles, which caused harassment to the locals and irked them.

Residents also said that no local representatives were invited to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony held on January 22 this year. They claimed that only the wealthy elite, who would benefit financially from the government, were invited. Film actors, businessmen, foreign delegates, influencers, and politicians, among others, were invited.

Sources also told the Millennium Post that enraged saints boycotted voting due to their dissatisfaction with the dominance of the VHP and temple trust. Additionally, notices from the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation (AMC) demanding the restoration or demolition of over 170 deteriorating properties, including ancient temples, have infuriated citizens and saints of the historic city. Moreover, they also need assistance from local authorities to visit Ram Lala.

The highly praised makeover of Ayodhya is a key political initiative of the Bharatiya Janata Party, yet for many residents, it has brought significant hardships. The primary cause of their dissatisfaction is the expansion of roads, which locals say has impacted nearly 40,000 individuals. People have lost their land, and livelihood, and have been pushed deeper into poverty.

During the 2019 general election, Millennium Post also highlighted issues of underdevelopment. The city’s residents now demand something different – they no longer prioritise a temple; instead, they are calling for significant development and tangible job opportunities. Today, the sentiment in Ayodhya reflects frustration over the focus on communal and polarising politics