The flag-hoisting at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya represents not a moment of reconciliation, but rather a culmination of decades of exclusionary politics. While the Indian government has framed it as a step toward national unity, for India’s Muslim minority and secular observers, it serves as a stark reminder of what has been lost: religious pluralism, minority rights, and trust in the impartiality of the state.
The temple was built on the site of the Babri Masjid, demolished in 1992 by extremist Hindu mobs. That illegal act, sanctioned by mobs and tolerated by state machinery, marked the beginning of a project that now culminates in a structure celebrated as a civilisational victory.
Far from a spiritual centre, the Ram Temple has become a political and ideological symbol, signalling the consolidation of a majoritarian Hindu identity. Many Muslims report feeling alienated, fearful, and excluded from a nation that is meant to protect all its citizens equally, according to the BBC.
Internationally, the response has been critical. Amnesty International warned that the inauguration reinforces fears of religious discrimination and deepens societal divides (Amnesty International). The Guardian described the ceremony as a politically charged spectacle that sidelines minority narratives (The Guardian).
Foreign Policy highlighted the event as a consolidation of Hindu nationalist power at the expense of India’s secular institutions (Foreign Policy). The New York Times noted that the temple’s completion could embolden further majoritarian policies and exacerbate communal tensions (NYT).
Domestically, dissent exists within the Hindutva movement itself, with some supporters arguing that the BJP has co-opted their religious struggle into a political project. The CPI(M) described the event as a “death knell for secularism” (Hindustan Times).
Scholars and civil society observers in India have also highlighted concerns about the “Ayodhya model” inspiring similar claims over other historic mosques and communal tensions across multiple states.
Financially, the estimated cost of the Ram Temple is between $240 and $285 million (₹2,150 crore), primarily funded through public donations. This includes 900 kg of silver and 20 kg of gold, along with additional financial support from bank interest, local collections, and contributions from the diaspora (NDTV).
Beyond finances and symbolism, the temple’s completion is part of a broader Hindutva agenda that includes curtailing Muslim worship, demolishing homes under “Bulldozer Raj,” and enforcing discriminatory citizenship policies such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The CAA, passed in 2019, grants a path to Indian citizenship for non-Muslim migrants from neighbouring countries, while the NRC is a government initiative intended to document legal residents; together, critics argue, they disproportionately threaten Muslim citizens and residents.
The Hindutva agenda also extends to facilitating violence against minorities, including Christians in Manipur. Social media campaigns, inflammatory speeches, and political messaging have amplified these threats, creating an environment where minorities feel perpetually unsafe.
Ayodhya’s Ram Temple is therefore not a monument of healing, but a stark emblem of power politics, ideological triumphalism, and the erosion of India’s pluralist heritage.
For those concerned with democracy, social cohesion, and human rights, the structure serves as a reminder that the nation’s secular and constitutional values are under siege, and that reconciliation remains a distant aspiration.
