The sangh parivar and its ecosystem have an undeniable attraction towards hyperbole. The result, quite often, are utterances that make astonishing — odious? — comparisons. Consider the remark made by the general-secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in which he compared the significance of the forthcoming inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya with that of Independence Day, among other notable milestones in the republic’s history. The parallel drawn by the official could have been ignored given the saffron forces’ non-existent contribution to the freedom struggle. What would the proponents of Hindutva know about the magnitude of August 15, 1947? But what makes it difficult to overlook such ignorance is the fact that the temple in Ayodhya has always been segued into the Bharatiya Janata Party’s project of political triumph. The BJP had reaped rich electoral dividends on the mandir-masjid issue in the past: its electoral roadmap for 2024 is set to make more than a pit stop in Ayodhya. The signs are clear. The prime minister, ever eager to monopolise the spotlight, is set to be the principal host of the event. Narendra Modi’s campaign to return to power for a third term would certainly amplify the success of the construction of the Ram temple under his watch.

But what does the curation of the event by the saffron fraternity as one of national importance mean for an ostensibly secular country? Symbolically, does January 22 — the date for the unveiling of the temple — represent a pluralist republic’s embrace of majoritarianism? The answer to this question may well be found in the result of the next parliamentary elections in which the Ram mandir would certainly be projected as a feather on Mr Modi’s crown. Much would depend on how India’s beleaguered Opposition responds to this strategy. In previous elections, the Opposition has failed to come up with an adequate counter-narrative to neutralise the BJP’s aggressive pitch on Hindutva. This time around, it needs to do better. The Opposition’s political future and, some would add, the future of secular India rest on a robust retort.