Yuddha to Buddha on Modi lips - Terror thrust at Ramleela

Modi holding the Sudarshan Chakra in Lucknow on Tuesday. In his
address, Modi said: "We balance between the Mohan of the
Sudarshan Chakra, and the Mohan of the Charkha," referring to
Krishna and Gandhi. Pic:Naeem Ansari

Piyush Srivastava, TT, Lucknow, Oct. 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the occasion of Vijaya Dashami to try to scale down the martial discourse and chest-thumping among a section of the polity by striking a balance between " yuddha (war)" and "Buddha (the symbol of peace)".

"Sometimes war becomes inevitable because of the existing situations. There was war in the life of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. But we are those who can move ahead from yuddha(war) to Buddha. We make a balance between the two," Modi said in a speech that steered clear of Opposition allegations that the surgical strikes across the LoC were being exploited for political dividends. "Buddha's path should be our final path," he said.

In his address at Lucknow's Aishbagh Ramleela ground, Modi made indirect references to the surgical strikes and Pakistan, saying "those who give shelter to terrorism; those who help terrorism, cannot be spared".

The Prime Minister opened and closed his 24-minute speech with the slogan " Jai Shri Ram; Jai, Jai Shri Ram", which veterans said they could not recall having heard from Modi before.

The slogan was popular with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the BJP during the Ram temple movement that culminated in the demolition of the Babri Masjid, and one it used to ride to power at the Centre for the first time in 1996. But in the 2014 election campaign, Modi had steered clear of it.

Today's speech was at a Ramleela celebration, and Modi recalled that he was speaking in a state that includes the birthplace of Ram. The theme of the Ramleela - organised by BJP leaders - was "terrorism".

"Terrorism is an enemy of humanity and Lord Ram represents humanity. He represents the highest values of humanity," the Prime Minister said. "Humanity cannot be protected without destroying terrorism."

Modi appeared to refer to the 1993 Bombay blasts, which followed within months of the December 1992 Babri demolition, when he said: "The world was not willing to agree to our arguments about the rise of terrorism 30-40 years ago. I remember the incident of 1992-93. I was talking to the US secretary of state. Whenever I brought up terrorism, he replied that it was our law and order problem. I was trying to convince him that it was not a law and order problem, it was something else."

In a reference to the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai, he said: "The entire world agreed with us after 26/11 that terrorism has assumed monstrous proportions."

Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who spoke before Modi, said without mentioning the surgical strikes that India has given "a message to the world that we are not weak, we are a powerful nation."

The Prime Minister reminded his audience that today is also the International Day of the Girl Child and appealed to them to protect the girl child and give equal rights to women.

Modi indirectly targeted the ruling Samajwadi Party, saying casteism, dynastic rule and communalism should also be destroyed. He left after watching the ritual slaying of Ravan - the first Prime Minister to celebrate Vijaya Dashami outside Delhi.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had said yesterday that had there been elections in Bihar, Modi would have slayed Ravan there. BSP chief Mayawati echoed him today, saying: "The Prime Minister is celebrating Vijaya Dashami here because there is election in the state in early 2017."