Situated in the heart of political debate, Sitamarhi in Bihar holds immense significance in the eyes of Hindu believers as the birthplace of Goddess Sita, wife of Lord Ram. In the midst of the state assembly elections, the sacred site known as 'Punaura Dham' has emerged as a nucleus of Bihar's political landscape, drawing leaders from various factions to offer prayers.
Two years back, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pledged to develop 'Punaura Dham' to mirror the grandeur of Ayodhya. Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation for a magnificent temple dedicated to Mother Sita there.
As Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav's 'Voting Rights Journey' made its way to Sitamarhi, both leaders offered their respects and prayers at Mother Sita’s temple, sending a strong political message. Using the image of Mother Sita, they continue their strategic maneuver to manage political equations.
Nitish-Shah's Punaura Dham Strategy
Punaura Dham stands recognized as a significant pilgrimage site in Bihar. The state’s chief executive and a national leader have both shown immense support by unlocking vast resources for its development. Plans echo the grandeur seen in Ayodhya with ambitions to uplift the historical site dedicated to Mother Sita's birthplace. Spanning from 2023, Nitish Kumar embarked on enhancing Mother Sita's birthplace, with Amit Shah reaffirming in 2024 that a temple akin to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be constructed in Sitamarhi.
Right before Bihar’s legislative elections, Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar conducted the groundbreaking ceremony for the grand temple on August 8 at Punaura Dham, fulfilling their promise. Their gesture extends beyond Sitamarhi, aiming at delivering a powerful political statement across the Mithila region. As Shahnawaz Hussain, a BJP leader, expressed, the envisaged temple devoted to Mother Sita is a source of immense pride for the entire Mithila area alongside all of Bihar.
The construction of Mother Sita's temple is fashioned on the Ram Temple project from Ayodhya. Punaura Dham holds revered status in Hinduism as the acknowledged birthplace of Mother Sita and long stands as a bastion of faith. The BJP seeks to add the honor of this temple to its credits following the acclaim of the Ram Temple project.
Prayers by Rahul and Tejashwi at Mother Sita's Temple
Following the initiation of the temple's foundation by Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar which hinted at appeasing the Mithilanchal region, both Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav made their presence felt at Mother Sita’s shrine. Upon reaching Sitamarhi with the 'Voting Rights Journey', both leaders marked their visits to Mother Janaki's temple, hence crafting a strategy to counter BJP's religious and political narratives without traveling merely 2 kilometers further to Punaura Dham. This visit stood calculatedly against the Hindutva politics of BJP.
As esteemed journalist Kanhaiya Bhelari notes, India is fundamentally a nation of religion. Though the opposition can rely on minority votes, there is a noticeable rise in visits to religious sites by people who previously wouldn't consider such activities, indicating the necessity of demonstrating devotion to capture Hindu votes. With their visit to the temple, Rahul and Tejashwi sent reassuring signals to the Hindu community amid BJP’s portrayal of them as opposing Hindu values.
Strategy to Capture the Battle of Bihar
In Bihar, while aligning with Nitish Kumar, BJP embeds its Hindutva agenda in preparation for the electoral stage of 2025. Overcoming BJP’s stronghold on the Hindutva front proves challenging. Thus, BJP sharpens its agenda surrounding Hindutva, energizing its supporters and aiming to secure the considerable majority vote. Recently, Union Minister Giriraj Singh attempted a 'Sanatan Journey' to rally Hindu votes but faced a halt. Simultaneously, Amit Shah’s monumental act of laying the temple's foundation draws a significant political move.
BJP’s agenda centers around uniting the scattered Hindu vote across castes, a significant factor in Bihar’s political playfield dominated by caste politics. Consequently, Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, through the ‘Voting Rights Journey,’ actively counter BJP by fostering ground sentiment. Their pilgrimage to temples along their journey aims not only at questioning the election commission’s policies but also effectively breaking BJP’s political narrative by sending potent messages such as witnessed with Mother Sita’s temple visit and prayers.
Political Chess Between BJP and Congress
In Sitamarhi, following his homage to Mother Sita, Rahul Gandhi addressed people asserting an ongoing struggle with BJP and election commission over 'vote theft' and 'safeguarding the constitution'. The assertion points out the missteps of election results marred by unfulfilled electoral promises. He emphasizes Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s constitution as a sacred book, embracing the nation’s ethos and ideology, extending rights to Dalits and minorities. Contrary moves by BJP aim to snatch away these rights, with allegations of cutting 65 lakh votes encompassing Dalits, minorities, and downtrodden communities whom Rahul vows to stand by.
Reflecting differently, BJP leader and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary accuses the opposition of denigrating Sanatan Dharma and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He charges flinging insults at the PM aligns with disrespecting the country, insisting Rahul Gandhi consider apologizing instead of portraying regal airs. He further questions the motives behind temple visits by Rahul and Tejashwi.
