In Chandkhuri, 30 kilometres from the capital city of Raipur, stands the lone temple to Kaushalya, mother of Ram. This place is believed to be her birthplace and, therefore, the 'nanihal' of Lord Ram. It is on this ground that the chief minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel, first staked his right over Ram, not only rebuilding the Kaushalya temple but also creating a web of tourist spots along the Ram Van Gaman, the purported path taken by Ram on his way from Ayodhya to Lanka.
Shivrinarayan
Similarly, there is another spot called Shivrinarayan on the Ram circuit, where according to folklore, Shabari gave berries to Lord Ram after first having tasted them to check for sweetness. Baghel has taken the political battle over Ram right to the BJPs doorstep. He refers to Ram as 'bhacha' (meaning nephew in Chhattisgarhi), and this relationship is pivotal in the state.
Ram Van Gaman
The construction of Ram Van Gaman was begun during the tenure of the former CM, Raman Singh, but he failed to execute the project and this is exactly what Baghel capitalised on, neutralising the BJPs claim over Lord Ram and garnering Hindu votes. At least in his state, he succeeded in keeping Ram in his hands, irrespective of what unfolded in the rest of India.
This issue has irked the local BJP cadres to the point that a feeble defence has been put forward to negate the Ram Van Gaman Path. The defence is that the CM is claiming a fictional route through Chhattisgarh. Going by the huge crowds at the Kaushalya temple at Chandkhuri, it's very clear Baghel has succeeded in cultivating a local narrative around Ram, which has struck an emotional chord with the people of Chattisgarh.
Hindutva strategy
This clever Hindutva strategy has made Baghel immune to the far-reaching effects of Ayodhya Ram temple. The BJP never thought of celebrating Ram's maternal home connect while Baghel went one step further and celebrated a Ramayan festival, keeping the focus on Kaushalya, and used this to internationalise Chhattisgarh.
Ram has always been a core election issue for the BJP, and a successful one at that. But Baghel's strategy is one that the saffron party may find difficult to counter. The Chhattisgarh CM has categorically sealed his image as a Ram bhakt. He seems to be earning the Hindu trust. Not only Lord Ram, but Baghel seems to have snatched the cow from the BJP shed too.
His government's policy of setting up cow shelters, or 'gothans,' compulsorily in every village is quite popular. These cow shelters, built on government or forest land, are given a budget for proper functioning. These 'gothans' have helped Baghel lure those Hindus who were not aligned with the BJP, thus creating a new socio-political space.
Cow in Politics
Baghel, unlike the BJP, has interwoven the cow into the rural economy. The Baghel government has launched schemes to buy cow urine at Rs 4 per litre, to make pesticides and organic fertilisers. Similarly, under the Godhan Nyay Yojna, the state government buys cow dung from the cattle breeders and farmers at Rs 2 a kilo. The state government has implemented the direct benefit transfer scheme, which has resulted in money reaching not only the farmers but even the women in their family.
Women have formed self-help groups to sell cow urine and cow dung. I interviewed Bhupesh Baghel at his residence and saw the huge replica of a cow in his drawing room. Baghel's penchant for the cow was evident when he said, I want the cow as the backdrop to the interview.
Chhattisgarhiya pride
Adding a distinct flavour to the politics of Chhattisgarh, Baghel has even succeeded in neutralising the BJP's nationalism or Rashtravad with regional subnationalism, by weaving a narrative around Chhattisgarhiya pride. In 2018, when Baghel was sworn in as CM, Modi's popularity was riding high on nationalism and this is what Baghel tried to capitalise on and create his own space.
Baghel organised Chhattisgarhi festivals at the Chief Ministers official residence and district headquarters. He danced, walked on 'gedis' (bamboo legs), and whirled wooden tops. This did not just make him popular, but also encouraged the people of the state to start taking pride in Chhattisgarh and its culture.
Chhattisgarhi Olympics & language
Four local festivals have been declared holidays in the state. The Chhattisgarhi Olympics were organised at the blocklevel, at Rs 1 lakh per block, to revive games that are part of the state's culture. This became a huge success and all the schools and colleges in the state participated in large numbers in these hitherto forgotten games that were on the brink of extinction.
Schools were exposed to local dialects and languages like Chhattisgarhi, Halbi, and Gondi. Baghel even came up with an ingenious plan to paint all ration shops in tricolour. Baghel has certainly made a difference by striking an emotional chord, with his pitch on Narwa, Garuwa, Ghurwa and Badi (streams, cows, dung pits, backyard vegetable patches) and intertwining it with economics.
Will Kaka turn the tables on BJP
If you speak to BJP leaders, they say that the opposition is forced to talk about the cow, Ram and sub-nationalism and this will help the saffron party propagate their core ideas. But this is exactly why there has been no vociferous clapping or objection to these agendas on which Baghel is riding high. Baghel is in rampaging mode. One advantage he has is that his predecessor, Raman Singh, is in a state of somnolence and has not awoken from his 15-year-dream; in fact, he is even unsure of being made the CM should the BJP come to power. All eyes are on whether Kaka (how Baghel is addressed by the people of Chhattisgarh) can turn the tables on the BJP.
