Somnath Ban:Religious Cause And Political Timing
BY R K MISRA Deceit enchants even as cynicism is an unpleasant way of saying the truth. The manner in which the Somnath Trust went about banning the entry of non-Hindus without permission, into the Gujarat based Somnath temple last week represents the tip of the proverbial iceberg of conspiratorial planning. And cynical as it may sound, there is need to put the truth, or the lack of it, in proper perspective The Somnath temple is one of the ancient temples of India and is first among the twelve adi jyotirlings . It enjoys unparalleled piety and position in the faith .Thus anything here or about touches the faith immensely and therefore the importance of a religious decision that impacts politics in much more than a passing manner. Comparisons may be odious but analysis can be instructive. First, the timings. Whether by coincidence or by planning, the newsbreak of the Somnath temple ban comes in close proximity to two major developments on the Indian national stage. F