Was the lack of structure in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust by design? With allegations of corruption surfacing in the temple’s management, does the buck stop at the Prime Minister’s door?
Listen and follow on YouTube
Listen and follow on Apple
Listen and follow on Spotify
This week on South Central, our anchors Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna were joined by The Wire‘s Editor Seema Chishti and TNM’s Karnataka Bureau Chief Anisha Sheth to discuss the controversy surrounding the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
Seema questioned the formation of the SIT and asked why agencies such as the CBI or the CAG had not stepped in. She argued that the Prime Minister cannot distance himself from the allegations, as the trust was set up by the government and its formation was announced by the Prime Minister himself. Seema also said she was sceptical of claims that the alleged corruption came to light only because of an internal power struggle among Sangh leaders.
Pooja Prasanna argued that the controversy underscores why government oversight of temple management remains necessary. Anisha pointed to the irony that while those associated with the trust rely on people’s faith and the BJP derives political capital from it, the allegations themselves reflect a lack of faith in one another.
The second half of the show focused on MPs and MLAs deserting their parties to join the BJP. Dhanya argued that this reflected the failure of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, while Seema countered that the law itself was not at fault, but rather those who misuse it.
Dhanya and Pooja recalled covering one of the earliest instances of such political defections during Karnataka’s 2008 Operation Lotus, and reflected on how they have watched the practice become institutionalised over the years. The panel also questioned why voters do not appear to feel cheated by these mass defections, and discussed what they described as the complete failure of the courts to effectively address the issue.
Tune in to the full episode and write to us at southcentral@thenewsminute.com with your thoughts.
Audio timecodes:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:30 - Headlines
00:12:35 - Ram temple controversy
00:40:42 - Defections
01:04:35 - Recommendations
References:
In Old Hyderabad, SIR stokes fear, 89 lakh in Telangana under scrutiny| Let Me Explain 144
How RSS network operates with 2,500 organisations | Let Me Explain 110 | Pooja Prasanna
Inside the RSS US lobbying mystery | Let Me Explain 101 | Pooja Prasanna
How the Modi era is mainstreaming the RSS | Let Me Explain | Pooja Prasanna
‘Ammonia leaks common, we’re told to keep working’: TN factory workers allege negligence
Ayodhya of the south: The Sangh’s southern rehearsal
Where is Sai Krishna? The disappearance that has shaken Andhra Pradesh Police
Recommendations:
Dhanya Rajendran
Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger
Pooja Prasanna
Rise of Kali - Duryodhana's Mahabharata
Anisha Sheth
Seema Chishti
Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.
Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central
Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.
Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here.
To check out our other shows, Click here
To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here
You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central.
Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here.
To check out our other shows, Click here
To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here
Producer - Megha Mukundan, Camera - Ajay R, Editor - Dharini Prabaharan, Social Media - Riya T T