Famous playback singer KS Chithra is facing an attack on social media after she urged faithful among her followers to recite the Ram Mantra and light diyas in their houses on the Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Bhavya Ram Mandir in Ayodhya scheduled for 22nd January 2024.
In a video on Monday, she urged people to observe the consecration day. Before that video, another video of her receiving the Akshatam from Ayodhya also went viral on social media. Though a few celebrities have supported her, others have criticised her. Notably, Chithra has over 45 years of singing career in the industry.
Indu Menon, an author, criticised Chithra and said, “Singer Chithra may be singing hymns in praise of Ram, Vishnu, Sita and Murugan. But that does not mean standing with killing innocent people. She has freedom of expression and can join any side of the issue. But glorifying a cause that led to genocide is cruel, even if it is inoffensive. Even if you Kindle five-wick lamps, no light will fill your mind”.
Singer and composer Sooraj Santhosh also criticised her. They said, “She forgets that the temple was constructed after demolishing the mosque. Icons are waiting to break down, one after another. How many Chithras are waiting to show their true colour?”.
While these celebrities called Chithra out and claimed the temple was being constructed after demolishing a mosque, they forgot the fact that the disputed structure that they were referring to as a mosque was built after demolishing Ram Mandir 500 years ago. Notably, Goswami Tulsidas had mentioned in one of his writings about the demolition of the temple and the construction of a mosque in its place.
Singer G Venugopal came out in support of Chithra and said she was never involved in any controversies. He added that Chithra was sad over the insults she was facing on social media. He said Chithra has no political affiliation and only concentrated on her career for over 44 years. He said, “If we disagree with her, why can’t we pardon her at least once? There won’t even be a revolutionary home sans mothers and elders who advise reciting nama japa in the evening, attending church every Sunday, and praying five times daily. You can disagree with these people. They have attained immortality in our music world. My only request is that we should be careful not to hurt them,” in a post in Malayalam on Facebook.
On the one hand, Hindus across the world celebrate the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony, but on the other hand, left-liberals and anti-Hindu elements ridicule Hindus for expressing their happiness. Even opposition leaders of parties like Congress, Samajwadi Party and others claim that BJP made the Pran Pratishtha ceremony a political event. There are claims that the temple is being constructed using government funds, but that is false. Ram devotees donated over Rs 3,500 crores for the construction of the temple.
