Ram's rule

Worshippers of Ram are facing the heat from policemen in “Ram Rajya,” or the state of Chhattisgarh. Before the Ayodhya verdict, Chhattisgarh’s police launched a massive campaign and booked activists associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliates including the Bajrang Dal and the Dharma Sena, detaining even some family members. What irked these activists is that Chhattisgarh is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party, but it was representatives of Hindu-affiliated organisations who felt the heat of police action rather than anyone from the Muslim community. Chief Minister Raman Singh, however, declined to provide an answer. At a recent meeting of the RSS and affiliated organisations, leaders strongly criticised him for the police’s selective action, but he preferred to face the volley in silence.