Fresh from Ayodhya’s landmark ruling, BJP parliamentarian demands meat and alcohol outlets be barred from temple neighborhoods everywhere. This call by MP from Gorakhpur underscores a rising tide of religious sensitivity in India’s heartland.
The trigger: Ayodhya’s recent clampdown, where shops selling non-veg food and liquor within 500 meters of Ram Mandir were ordered closed. Over 50 establishments face relocation, blending devotion with administrative action.
‘This isn’t just Ayodhya’s story—it’s every temple in Bharat,’ declared the MP, invoking national pride. He envisions buffer zones to shield holy precincts from what he calls ‘impure influences.’
Backed by saffron party cadres, the proposal taps into cultural ethos. Temples, numbering in lakhs, dot the landscape; enforcing purity around them could standardize practices long demanded by Hindu groups.
Challenges abound. Shop owners protest lost income, urging fair rehab. The MP counters with promises of viable alternatives, stressing devotee rights over commerce.
Politically, it’s potent. With Hindutva resonating, rivals decry it as divisive, yet public sentiment leans supportive in temple towns. States like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh may follow suit swiftly.
Historical parallels exist—similar bans in Haridwar and Tirupati. This could unify them under one banner, modernizing ancient reverence.
As the nation debates, the MP’s voice amplifies a shift: faith leading policy. Implementation hurdles persist, but momentum builds for sacred spaces reclaiming their aura.
