How to Shift Focus from Wrestlers’ Protest, Anti-Incumbency in Haryana? A VHP-backed Project Has the Answer

As two terms of anti-incumbency, sympathy for wrestlers’ protests, and some amount of disillusionment due to the farmers’ agitation remain three dominant concerns for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Haryana, a VHP-backed project has been silently taking shape to deviate the focus to the party’s familiar domain — temples with a subtle dash of Hindutva.

The ‘Temple’ Project

An effort has been afoot for quite some time to find temples across India with a rich grand past that have slipped into obscurity over the ages and make people aware of them. Primarily, the focus is on Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi. With the two Union Territories adjoining Haryana and providing employment opportunities to a large number of the state’s residents, the choice of the three places is careful, say sources.

The project, backed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, is called ‘Jaane Apne Mandir’ or ‘Know your temples’. A website is also being readied for the purpose where not only will the past of such temples be resurrected but a video story narrating their history and the present situation will be available, say people associated with the initiative. The main festivals of those temples, how to reach there, the time of puja, etc will be available on the website that is yet to be launched. So far, documentation of more than 300 temples is complete, say those in the know.

Haryana’s temples like Chameli Van Hanuman Temple of Hodal and Pandav Van Temple of Nuh find special mention along with Chandigarh’s Old Shiv Temple. Apart from this, Delhi temples like the 16th Century Vishweshwar Temple in Connaught Place and Yogmaya temple in south Delhi — which is connected to Lord Krishna — also find a place here.

Grand Launch

The launch event planned this Tuesday has a clear imprint of the BJP and the VHP. The event will be presided over by BJP’s Haryana in-charge Biplab Deb, who has been instrumental in recent months in forging the party’s aggressive strategy in the state amid signs of differences between the party and its ally Jannayak Janata Party (JJP).

Tuesday’s event will also be attended by Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ashwini Choubey. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the body that had spearheaded the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and is now backing this project, will also have its representation. VHP’s general secretary Milind Parande, who has been vocal against state control of temples, will be present as the keynote speaker.

Panipat’s Prem Mandir chief Sri Sri Kanta Maharaj will be the special guest at the event. Haryana has eight of the nine Prem Mandirs.

Amid the wrestlers’ protest, which is essentially a fight against a sports body boss who is also a powerful BJP MP, former wrestler Babita Phogat — who has sided with the government so far — will be present for Tuesday’s function, News18 has learnt.

The event is being organised at Delhi’s NDMC Convention Centre where many high-profile BJP events are regularly held, including this year’s BJP National Executive meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top brass of the saffron party.

However, Sanjay Mishra, who is spearheading the project, refuses to connect it with Haryana polls. “The reason we started with Haryana is because it is considered to be the home of the Gods. ‘Hari’ translates to God (Vishnu) and ‘Ayana’ is home. So Haryana was a natural choice to kick-start the project.”

Interestingly, Mishra was Deb’s Officer on Special Duty when the latter was Tripura’s chief minister and continues to work closely with him.

However, a crucial question remains: Can this subtle Hindutva alter the discourse in Haryana which will go to polls next year?