Covid leads to low-key celebrations; Indian missions opt to highlight J-K

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 5

The Covid pandemic led to low key but bright and vibrant celebrations of the Ram Temple ‘bhoomi pujan’ in different parts of the world.

The Indian missions which play a proactive role in celebrating Yoga Day concerned themselves with more pressing matters of arranging for repatriation flights and highlighting the advantages of the changes brought about in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Several temples in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada besides heavy concentrations of former indentured labour in the Caribbeans were reported to have held special observations with lights and kirtan. However, in keeping with national regulations, there were no calls for congregations that would have made the celebrations much more vibrant.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted that today was a “momentous day for the nation…A pledge redeemed…A heritage reaffirmed.’’ He ended his social media post with the hashtag of JaiShriRam and a mock up photo of the proposed temple.

Only the Indian mission in France, headed by a new envoy in Jawed Ashraf, broke its series of tweets on the “transformation’’ of Ladakh and J&K by inserting a tweet of PM Modi’s live address from Ayodhya. Other missions stayed on the narrow course of promoting the country’s interests, ensuring the well-being of stranded fellow citizens and highlighting the anticipated benefits from the changes made in J & K exactly a year ago.

However, at the time of going to the press, some missions were yet to get into their stride due to the time difference with India. Political point scoring at The Times Square in the form of a congregation celebrating the event and another protesting it will also take place later.

In view of Covid, Hindutva proponents had opted for vans fitted with billboards going around some metropolitan areas in the US and Australia. In The Times Square, an attempt by secularists to block Hindutva organisations from hiring a billboard fell flat. Though it was one billboard among many that dot the Square and was not the iconic Nasdaq board with a wraparound, the issue had been raised to a prestige battle.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla as well as important missions in the US, Japan, Russia, Qatar, Mauritius, etc., were focused on highlighting J & K against a two-pronged diplomatic attack launched by China and Pakistan.