India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a controversial Hindu temple within the northern metropolis of Ayodhya.

The shrine was constructed on grounds the place a mosque from the Mughal-era stood for hundreds of years, till it was destroyed by Hindu activists in 1992.

In elections in 2014, Modi campaigned with a promise to construct a temple devoted to the Hindu god Lord Ram, on the very web site of the demolished mosque.

With the temple’s consecration coming solely months forward of a nationwide election, opposition leaders accuse him of exploiting faith to win political favour.

And as Modi seeks a 3rd consecutive time period, considerations are rising that he’s constructing a legacy as a pacesetter capable of remodel India right into a Hindu nationalist state.

So, what does this imply for the way forward for secularism within the nation?

Presenter: Neave Barker

Guests:

Shazia Ilmi – National spokesperson for the governing BJP Party

Sharat Pradhan – Political analyst and impartial journalist

Nilanjan Mookuhpadyey – Journalist and creator of, The Demolition and The Verdict, a guide on the Ram Temple controversy