Fish Feast In Ayodhya: An Insult To Sanatan Faith - Dr. Vikramaditya

Whenever we speak of Sanatan faith and propriety, the name of Ayodhya inevitably comes to mind. This is because Ayodhya is the land revered for centuries as the birthplace of Maryada Purushottam Ram and remains the most sensitive centre of faith for millions of Sanatanis. Since the construction of the Ram Temple, Ayodhya has become a symbol of the self-respect of the entire Hindu community. That is why special and disciplined conduct is expected in Ram Nagari. However, after offering prayers at the Hanumangarhi temple, Congress state president Ajay Rai joined a fish-and-rice feast on the Kanwar route itself, an act that has disturbed Sanatanis. When a person in public life engages in such an act, it cannot simply be dismissed as incidental. If someone participates in a fish-and-rice feast after offering prayers at a temple, it is deliberate, and there must be some intention behind it.

Deliberately Practised Hypocrisy Is the Offence

In support of Ajay Rai, it may be argued that eating fish is not a sin but part of the culinary traditions of several parts of India. Whether in Bengal, the Northeast or coastal India, fish is an integral part of the local diet. But the question here is not about eating fish. The question is whether, after chanting 'Ram-Ram' at a temple, it is appropriate to serve non-vegetarian food in the religious city of Ayodhya, particularly along a route used by Kanwar pilgrims. Our scriptures state that food consumed when it is impure, at an inappropriate time or under inappropriate circumstances is indicative of a tamasic tendency. When a person belonging to a political party and holding a position such as state president visits a temple and offers prayers, it is expected that he will respect the time, place and circumstances as well as the scriptures. It is important to understand that Indian society has never imposed a universal restriction on food habits. The issue is not non-vegetarian food but the choice of occasion. A person is free to eat whatever he wants in his own home. But when someone organises such an event on a religious pilgrimage route and on a religious occasion, it moves from the private sphere into the public sphere, where his judgement will inevitably be questioned. It will also be asked whether one can stoop so low merely to divide Nishad votes.

Targeting Centres of Faith Has Become a Pattern for the Opposition

Several other incidents also become relevant in the context of Congress state president Ajay Rai’s conduct. A few months ago, an iftar party was organised on a boat on the waters of the Ganga in Varanasi, the river believed to grant salvation. It was alleged that non-vegetarian biryani was consumed and its leftovers were thrown directly into the Ganga. The police had to arrest 14 people in connection with the incident. Just a few weeks later, a video of a beer party on a boat in the Saryu, accompanied by DJ music, went viral. Both these incidents raise the same question of religious identity that has arisen over the fish-and-rice feast in Ayodhya. These three incidents may be associated with different individuals and organisations, but their collective impact is the same: repeatedly testing the sanctity of Sanatan symbols. This appears to be an extension of an ideology that seeks to insult Sanatan symbols in order to provoke a reaction. It is a conspiracy to trample upon faith for the sake of vote-bank politics.

The Anger of the Sant Community Is Justified

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s stance on such matters is well known. Therefore, his sharp reaction was only natural. If the CM says that even a chameleon would feel embarrassed in front of such people, it is not merely rhetorical sharpness. It expresses the feelings of the ordinary devotee who sees a leader prostrating before Bajrang Bali and then, a few hours later, enjoying a fish feast. Such conduct hurts the sentiments of devotees. It is a case of double standards, and the greatest cost of double standards is that they turn faith into a spectacle. The anger of the Sant community is also justified. Mahamandaleshwar Vishnu Das, Mahant Sitaram Das and representatives of organisations such as Sanatan Rakshak Sangh are not political spokespersons. They are guardians of the propriety that every person of faith in India carries within. When they say that the Congress and Ajay Rai should apologise for their actions, it is not a position against any particular political party; rather, it is a stand in defence of the propriety that is synonymous with Ram.

If It Was Deliberate, the Matter Is Even More Serious

In a country where millions voluntarily give up non-vegetarian food during the month of Sawan, where Kanwariyas walk barefoot for weeks to bring Ganga Jal and accept every small and major hardship they encounter along the way as an expression of faith, the conduct of a state president of a political party becomes even more serious if it was indeed part of a deliberate strategy, as has been alleged. It would mean that a framework is being created to deliberately provoke people by playing with Sanatan symbols. A framework that is repeated every few months in connection with a different river, a different city or a different occasion. Even if this was an act of negligence, it remains equally concerning because it demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding within the opposition’s top leadership about the sensitivity of a place like Ayodhya. The higher the position a person holds in public life, the greater the responsibility and awareness expected of them.

About the Author: Acharya Dr. Vikramaditya is the Peetambara Peethadheesh of Peetambara Peeth.

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