Albert DeSouzawrites: "I cannot understand why we Catholics get so upset if some one uses the word Ram.”
------------------------------------ Hi Albert, To be fair to the Catholics, nobody was really upset. Floriano probably misunderstood the context of the Chief Minister’s speech and the occasion during which he had made it. To set the records straight for one last time, the words “Ram Rajya” were invoked by the Chief Minister during a function organized by “Bhartiya Sanskrutik Mandal” to commemorate the occasion of "Dussera. The Chief Minister and the Governor are known to extend greetings to the different communities on every Festival occasion, where a good word or two are generally spoken about the respective religions. Invoking the words "Ram Rajya" was therefore befitting the occasion of 'Dussera'. Besides, the CM used the expression as a metaphorical concept, exhorting the citizens who had gathered on the festive day to join hands with the Government to create an ideal society where there is freedom for all, equality for all and justice for all, where the citizens live in happiness and where poverty and gloom cease to exist. A member in another forum where this issue was simultaneously being discussed had the following to add: “My idea of Ram Rajya is what in the UK would be termed `Camelot'. A utopian ancient era when good triumphed over evil and peace and dignity reigned supreme. Like Rama, King Arthur embodied the idyllic ruler reigning justly and selflessly. He was beset by much travail, but triumphed. However, both tales end in tragedy. Every nation in the world harks back to its heritage and history when choosing its heroes. Indians need not be different.” To sum up, Ram Rajya would thus be the Indianised version of a Utopian Administration. This was the context of the Chief Minister’s speech. He used the expression to promote communal harmony, a perfectly secular gesture. If the Chief Minister had been invited to a similar Christmas function, he would have spoken a good word or two about Christianity. On Id, he would have spoken a few good words about Islam. What is pertinent for us to understand is that the expression “Ram Rajya” was not invoked to incite one community against another. Had the CM done that, that act would have been unpardonable. Cheers Sandeep
