Omkar Dattatray
It is the irony of India that everything is politicized at the altar of secular democracy and for appeasement of the minorities. Now the reciting of the Hanuman Chalisa is politicized by none else than the once Hindutva political party Shiv Sena which is the progeny of the Hind Hardy Samarth Late Balasaheb Thackeray. It is very unfortunate that once Hindutwadi party is these days following the foot prints of so called secular parties as it is sharing political power in Maharashtra with congress and nationalist congress of Sharad Pawar and had formed coalition government called Maha Vikas Aghadi. The opium of power has so intoxicated Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray that he has completely deserted the Hindutva philosophy for the protection of which his father Bala Sahib Thackeray has sacrificed his life. It is very sad that dirty politics is resorted to by the Shiv Sena, BJP and secular political parties of congress and NCP and there is competition between these parties for scoring votes and so for vote bank politics all these parties are indulging in petty politics over the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa which is the worshipping of Lord Rama’s affectionate Bhakt Hanuman and it is in fact the recitation of the praise of Hanuman. In other words it can be construed that by singing the praises of Hanuman it is in fact the worship of the Lord Ram itself. Lord Ram is the soul and very essence and breath of India and by objecting to the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa the religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution to the people is violated. It is very sad and unfortunate that the couple of Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana were sent to jail purportedly on the instructions of Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray for singing the praise of Lord Hanuman. One wonders that if the Hanuman Chalisa cannot be sung and recited in India, then where it can be sung. By denying the jailed couple to recite Hanuman Chalisa amounts to the assault on the right to freedom of religion and it is thus the violation of the constitution. In fact it is the Hindus who are not allowed to recite Hanuman Chalisa and it is the infringement of the right of religious freedom as guaranteed to the citizens. Is it a sin to recite Hanuman Chalisa and for reciting of Hanuman Chalisa, the Rana couple has been jailed because they have committed the biggest sin of reciting Hanuman Chalisa. To jail the people on showing respect and recitation of praises to Hanuman is an insult to the majority community of Hindus. It is very disturbing and unbecoming that there is a political row about the Hanuman Chalisa and its recitation. Once political and ideological friends, today BJP and Shiv Sena are face to face on the religious issue of recitation of Hanuman Chalisa. These parties are leveling charges and counter charges upon each other and the politics over the Hanuman Chalisa has created political uproar from Maharashtra to Delhi and the politics over this issue has hot ten up. It is so sad that Hanuman has been dragged into the murkier politics. The Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress, NCP and others should not have resorted to politics over Hanuman Chalisa but the fact is that all these political parties and others as well have politicized the Hanuman Chalisa and there is one-upmanship between the political parties over the issue of reciting the Hanuman Chalisa. In fact it was first Raj Thackeray of MNP who has created the political uproar when he declared to recite Hanuman Chalisa during the Azan time after May 3, if the loudspeakers are not banned in the mosques. No one can object to the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa but the timing is a matter of concern because it is not acceptable to recite the Hanuman Chalisa during Azan time. The citizens has got religious freedom but your freedom ceases when you encroach upon the religious freedom of others or other religious community. In our multi -religious country there is no place for communal disturbance and it should not take place at all in our plural and secular country. The recitation of Hanuman Chalisa is in no way against the faith of the other religious communities and as such there should be no politics over the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa and all people should be free to profess, propagate and follow their faith. One fails to understand as to why the different political parties including the Hindutva parties as well as the so called secular lobby has reservations with the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa and why there is so much bawal and politics over the recitation of the praise on Hanuman. It is very disturbing and unfortunate that the lord Hanuman has been dragged into politics by the cunning and selfish political parties and there is unnecessary controversy and trifle in the political parties over Hanuman Chalisa. Lord Ram and his Param-Bhakt and Sevak, Hanuman and Hunaman Chalisa should not be made a subject of debate, fun and ridicule and therefore the politicians should desist from politicizing Hanuman Chalisa. But what is happening in Maharashtra over the subject of Hanuman Chalisa and its recitation is nothing short of dirty politics. However Hanuman Chalisa should not be made a subject of debate and political controversy and issue. Therefore all political parties both the so called secular parties and the Hindutva parties should see sanity and reason and desist from politicking in the name of Hanuman Chalisa for the good of the communal harmony and mutual brotherhood. However it is a fact that communal harmony and religious brotherhood will not be affected by chanting of Hanuman Chalisa. Putting the people behind bars for chanting of Hanuman Chalisa is an insult to the majority Hindu community. Leveling of seditious charges and allegations on those who chant Hanuman Chalisa is the travesty of culture and one fails to understand as to how it amounts to the sedition to chant the praise in favor of monkey god Hanuman. Leveling of seditious charges on the legislator couple is an insult to Hinduism and the Hindus of the country. The charges and more so the seditious charges should be dropped against the legislator couple of Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana and then couple should be freed from the jail. Since the matter of the Rana couple has reached the court and it is hoped the judiciary will grant bail to the Rana couple that the religious sentiments of the majority Hindu community will not be hurt. Therefore without wasting time the Rana couple should be freed from jail to uphold the religious freedom of the couple and the whole citizenry. Thus what is needed is to balm the hurt psyche of the Hindu community and uphold the freedom of religion of the people and for this the legislator couple should be immediately freed from the jail and their innocence proved.The controversy which took birth in Maharashtra has now reached to capital Delhi as the NCP activist Fehmeeda Hassen who has written a letter to Home minister Amit Shah and sought his permission to chant and recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of the Prime Minister’s residence in Delhi. The religious issue of recitation of Hanman Chalisa has been politicized as it has been given political color. Parag Shah terms Fahmida Hassan’s request for giving permission to chant Hanuman Chalisa as a publicity stunt. There is a war of words going on between the BJP and Shiv Sena on Hanuman Chalisa and one accuse the other party of politicizing the religious matter. Whatever it is the fact is that the religious issue of recitation and chanting of Hanuman Chalisa stands politicized and there is immediate need to put a full stop to the politicizing of Hanuman Chalisa.
(The author is a Columnist and
Social Activist).
