Two developments — a high court urging the country to accept the Gita as a national text, and the Centre stating on record that there is no historical proof of Ram’s existence — have been viewed with concern in the Urdu press.

The Allahabad High Court urging Indians to accept the Gita as a national dharmashastra has been received with alarm. Delhi-based Hindustan Express writes in an editorial on September 13, “this violates the Constitution and the spirit of it, and is not even worthy of serious comment... (the) advice given by eminent jurists is for Muslims to not react strongly to this. We agree. The Muslim leaders of the country should not make any comment to provoke the majority to support such foolish (ahmaqaana) thinking.” The paper believes that instead of “playing politics with the statement, it must be challenged in court, which undoubtedly would reject this.” In Thursday’s editorial Rashtriya Sahara says, “while Muslims got inspired by the Quran to fight the British, the Gita provided the same inspiration for Hindus. Can any concept of a ‘national dharmashastra’ be actualised in a secular country like India... it is all very well for people to be quiet, but should the government also ignore the Allahabad High Court ruling?”

The ASI affidavit on Ram Setu and the existence of Ram has created controversy. Hindustan Express, on September 13, writes in a page 1 comment, “the absence of any historical proof of the characters of Ramayana is enough to prove that the followers of Ram have been endeavouring for a Ram temple only on the basis of faith.”

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