Ram temple inauguration spur communal tensions in India and sparks international reactions

Ayodhya, 26 January, 2024 (TDF): The impending inauguration of the grand temple dedicated to the Hindu god Ram in Ayodhya has sparked reactions from Muslim-majority nations.

It casts a shadow over the region’s delicate socio-religious fabric. As India prepares for its historic event, Muslims in India are planning to build a new mosque in Ayodhya later this year.

Background of the Ayodhya dispute

Mosque construction amidst tensions

Haji Arfat Shaikh, the head of the development committee of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) overseeing the mosque project, announced that construction is scheduled to commence in May, following the holy month of Ramazan. The mosque project expects to take three to four years to complete, symbolizing a beacon of hope amidst lingering tensions.

Fundraising challenges for Mosque construction

While construction of the $180 million Ram temple has progressed swiftly, the Muslim community encountered challenges in raising funds for their mosque. Hindu groups aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initiated donation campaigns decades ago, amassing over Rs30 billion ($360 million) from 40 million people in India.

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Muslim groups faced hurdles in gathering similar financial support, with fundraising efforts officially initiated following the finalization of mosque plans. A crowd-funding website is expected to be launched in the coming weeks to facilitate contributions to the mosque project.

International reactions: Pakistan’s condemnation

Pakistan condemned the temple’s grand celebrations, denouncing the inauguration as a “symbol of growing majoritarianism and an affront to the Muslim community in India”.

Expressing grave concerns about the treatment of Muslims in India and the rise of Hindu nationalism, Pakistan urged India to uphold secular values and protect the rights of religious minorities.

🔊: PR NO. 2️⃣4️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣

Pakistan Condemns Consecration of the ‘Ram Temple’ on the Site of Demolished Babri Mosque

🔗⬇️https://t.co/s3zJmZMhzN pic.twitter.com/X5rYshPxDu

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) January 22, 2024

OIC’s stand against temple construction

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) denounced the construction and inauguration of the ‘Ram Mandir’ on the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

Expressing grave worry over the obliteration of Islamic landmarks, the OIC urged the international community, including the UN, to take notice of increasing Islamophobia and hate crimes in India.

Communal Clashes in Mumbai following the inauguration of temple

Following the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, communal clashes erupted in Mumbai. Authorities took action by tearing down several Muslim-owned makeshift shopfronts after clashes were sparked by the divisive Hindu temple.

The clashes, occurring on the eve of Prime Minister Modi’s inauguration, resulted in the demolition of numerous shopfronts belonging to Muslims, raising concerns about collective punishment and discriminatory practices against the Muslim community.

Local media outlets reported the arrest of at least 13 individuals in connection with the clashes. The Mumbai clashes highlight the ongoing challenges of communal tensions in India and underscore the need for peaceful resolution amidst heightened sensitivities.

Pakistan seeks UN support in preserving Muslim sites in India

Following the communal clashed in India soon after the opening ceremony of the Ram temple, Pakistan urged the UN to take appropriate measures to protect and preserve Islamic sites in India.

Pakistan’s envoy in the UN, Munir Akram, urged the UN during the OIC ambassadorial meeting at the UN headquarters.

“Pakistan condemns in the strongest terms the construction and consecration of the Ram Temple on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, India,” ambassador Munrir wrote in a letter, addressing the top official for the UN Alliance of Civilisations.

The letter also read, “This trend poses a significant threat to the social, economic, and political well-being of Indian Muslims, as well as to the harmony and peace in the region.”

In a letter to Under Secretary-General for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, I have drawn his attention to the threats of desecration aimed at Mosques & other holy sites and sought his intervention to protect & safeguard the Islamic heritage & worship places in India.

— Munir Akram, PR of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanPR_UN) January 24, 2024