Word: ayodhya
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Dates: during 2000-2000
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...Speaking of India's identity as a secular state, isn't that challenged by Prime Minister Vajpayee's statements in support of a campaign to build a Hindu shrine over the ruins of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya, which was destroyed by a mob of Hindu extremists...
...Vajpayee is playing a delicate political game. And that's taking India into another dangerous phase, where the [ruling Bharatiya Janata party] is revealing its hand, trying to exploit Hindu nationalist sentiments around the Ayodhya issue. Some observers believe that he may be doing this as something of a distraction for his supporters, trying to create political space for himself to push through tough economic measures, which he desperately needs to do. The government is basically bankrupt, and India is facing an economic slowdown. We're heading back into a terrible mess, but in a democracy as politically fractured...
...Another explanation is that his party faces a tough fight next year in the all-important state elections in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, which is considered a key indicator in national politics. Right now his party may lose its grip on the state, which is where Ayodhya is located. And some believe that he may be trying to energize the BJP's base by reviving the issue. But it's a dangerous game, not least because his coalition allies in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu depend heavily on Muslim support, which Vajpayee's statement will alienate...