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PaperclipPerfector  9mo ago (text post)   1727 thread views

Transnational Thursday for January 25, 2024

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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India

The controversial issue of the day is the erection of a gigantic $200 million Hindu temple (in the context of a $3 billion glowup for the surrounding town) on what was previously a mosque built by Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire. The temple was razed by a Hindu nationalists mob in part of a larger riot that killed some 2000 people. Rebuilding a Hindu temple in its place has been a longtime Modi commitment and has been touted as a symbolic counter to European and Muslim colonization alike.

More than three decades after a mob of militant Hindu radicals razed a mosque to the ground in the Indian town of Ayodhya, the country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has inaugurated the new Hindu temple that will stand in its place.

For some, the inauguration marks a hugely significant religious moment. Many Hindus believe Ayodhya to be the birthplace of the popular deity Lord Ram and the building of the temple, after over a century of disputes, has been heralded as Ram returning to his rightful place, and India freeing itself from the chains of past religious occupation.

Various people have said this is either a huge deal since it breaks with India’s secular founding and is openly anti-muslim, or not really a big deal at all since it’s been a BJP promise for a long time and secularism is always relative. So I figured I’d post it here and phone @self_made_human to make me sound more knowledgeable on the issue.

Ah, the Ram Mandir, the gift that keeps on giving.

TLDR: A centuries old mosque was declared, based off archaeological evidence (somewhat dubious, but I'm no expert) of an even more ancient Hindu temple, which has been seized upon as potentially being the site of a temple dedicated to Ram (avatar of a god, misogynist and GOAT in the other sense of the word), and said mosque has been demolished and a new temple consecrated.

Anyway, one can think of this an analogous to Trump's border wall, but of even less practical utility, but a good way for the BJP, our now dominant party, best described as a socially conservative, fiscally liberal, explicitly Hindu-nationalist (or behind a fig leaf that fell off ages ago, well before this "erection") to rally the voter base against the Accursed Muslims.

The worst of the unrest has been over well before this auspicious day, with much of the intervening time spent in lawfare, and finally the BJP, which is largely unchecked, getting its way.

I have not cared to follow recent developments in too much detail, but tbh nothing really happened (of late). The worst article of news I can recall is that Indian food delivery apps were voluntold to only deliver vegetarian food today, and butchers were closed (once again more out of fear rather than an official declaration),* but the Muslims and the opposition parties have been cowed (pun not intended) into submission. I'm sure there has been the odd demonstration or minor scuffle, but in general everyone opposed to the BJP has more or less resigned themselves to the inevitable.

The BJP has been having a great time, controlling the executive, legislature and judiciary even at the highest levels, and seem likely to win yet again. The Ram Mandir was more of a pure power play and fuck you move, rather than anything that affects the rest of India at large.

*In the states in Northern India that are their heartlands, I can get my biryani fix tonight, though I'm opting for waffles.

Thanks for the added context, much appreciated man.

You're welcome as always! I wish I could add more, but in this situation, no news is good news haha

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