Read it in Hindi from रामायण ने हिंदुओ को कैसे कट्टरपंथी बनाया और हिन्दुत्व राष्ट्रवाद को आगे लाया

“I told my father that I did not like any of the figures in [the] Mahabharata. I said, “I do not like Bhishma and Drona, nor Krishna. Bhishma and Drona were hypocrites. They said one thing and did quite the opposite. Krishna believed in fraud. His life is nothing but a series of frauds. Equal dislike I have for Rama. Examine his conduct in the Sarupnakha [=Shurpanakha] episode [and] in the Vali Sugriva episode, and his beastly behaviour towards Sita.” My father was silent and made no reply. He knew that there was a revolt.” – Dr Ambedkar, Unpublished Preface to book The Buddha and His Dhamma.

Yesterday, India’s state channel, under the control of the ruling party, DD National decided to telecast Ramayana again. The excuse that Minister Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar gave was that it is starting because of the “public demand”. It is not surprising that such demands during the crisis can come from Brahmins of RSS headquarter and BJP government, as usual, acting as a pawn of RSS obeyed.

Ramayana Television series directed by Ramanand Sagar not only radicalised the Hindu (Brahmin) society but led to various riots and killings including Babri Masjid demolition. What happened since Babri Masjid demolition and how fanatic Hindu groups have come up since then does not require any explanation. Ramayana TV series polarised the society beyond repair and with a decision to telecast It once again, there would be repercussions about which none is talking.

No surprise that Congress government started this TV show and the BJP got the most benefit from it. Since the 1990s, to serve its political motives and gain electoral success. Ramayana’s broadcast started in 1987 and ended in 1988 but it pushed India into the dark age with the rise in superstitions and absurdity. People who acted in the series were worshipped literally and were put on the pedestal of Gods. Told you, Brahminical India is absurd. Rajiv Gandhi wanted to have Hindu mythology TV series such as Ramayana and Mahabharata be produced and telecasted. So, the role of Congress in polarising society can not be ignored.

BJP went a step ahead and BJP has managed not only to manipulate how most of the people understand Ramayana but also extend its discriminatory and casteist plans. BJP used mobilisation through the TV series to achieve its goal of Hindu-Muslim enmity, leading to huge political gains for the BJP. Rama is projected as a saviour and guardian of all 4 varnas. Ramayana series was centred around constructing and maintaining particular political and social systems. Ramanand Sagar built in it elements of Hindutva and it succeeds to maintain that Hindutva ideology for Brahminical hegemony. In a book named “Politics after Television: Hindu Nationalism and the Reshaping of the Public in India“, author Arvind Rajagopal mentions that even the speeches of RSS were included in the show.

Brahminical political party BJP that had no base rose to power within a decade after the TV shows such as Ramayana and Mahabharata were telecasted. Further, it should also not surprise anyone that many of the actors from the Ramayana TV series were affiliated to RSS, supported BJP/RSS during Ayodhya dispute/Babri demolition and went to become MLA/MPs from Congress and BJP. Ramayana series not only provided legitimacy to BJP’s Ram Janam Bhoomi movement but also led to Babri Masjid’s demolition. Hindutva nationalism rose after the telecast of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

How could Rama be ideal for any society? Someone who kills a Dalit named Shambuk just because he was worshipping God. How could such a casteist person be put on a higher pedestal of God? Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in his book “Riddles in Hinduism” rips apart Rama in The Riddle of Rama and Krishna. Someone who abandons his wife, make her enter fire to prove her character and someone who cuts a woman’s nose can not be ideal for any society. How society will get affected by projecting such ideals? Such effects should be understood and studied before starting any propaganda TV series. But then this is too much to ask Hindutva government and when showing such propaganda TV series fulfils its agenda of Hindu Rashtra.

Sita Agarwal in her book “Genocide of Women in Hinduism” writes, “Rama practiced the savage cutting off of women’s noses for minor offences, thereby providing divine sanction for this sadistic custom. In the Ramayana, Shurpanakha is described as a black Dravidian lady (referred to as `Rakshis’ or demonesses by the Aryans) who fell in love with Rama. She proposed marriage to him, but he refused her, directing her to his brother Laxman. This pious Hindu God immediately cut off her ears and nose for the `crime’ of daring to propose to him. The `mighty’ Ram fully condoned this cruel act. [Alld. 1036 ] Otherwise, Ram, the `ideal husband’, showed little regard to female life; for instance, he killed Tataka [Alld.1048], merely because she was a “Rakshi”, or Black Sudra woman. He cut her body into pieces after maiming her in the cruellest manner available. He mutilated her genitals and then shamelessly chopped off pieces of her body one by one after thrusting his sword into her vagina.”

As shown in series, for Rama, getting back his wife Sita was more about the achievement of getting her back and defeat Ravana rather than a feeling of love for his wife. He accuses her of infidelity and justifies his actions having taken dharmic path, asserting patriarchal power over her. Is not this inline with Manusmriti that says a woman is never free? Such was Brahmins’ “ideal husband” and aftereffects of telecasting such mentality would lead to further attacks and restrictions on women society.

While Brahmins are putting masks on stone Gods to protect those stones from getting Coronavirus, telecasting such casteist and absurd TV series to divert attention from the real crisis would hurt India more. There is no historical evidence that Rama ever existed, so in the times of crisis when the world is looking toward technological advancements to root out the virus and save people, Brahmins of India are pushing Indians into a dark age once again. Telecasting such regressive shows would again reinforce gender roles and superstitions.

Janeu flashing half-naked Brahmins on TV should be banned and if anything TV shows on scientific thinking should be telecasted on national TVs. While the government should be handling virus situation in India, it is playing to radicalise Hindus. Brahminism is more dangerous than Coronavirus and Brahminism must be uprooted.

Author – Pardeep Attri

Read in Hindi at Pariah Street

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