The antagonism between the country’s two principal political parties is now manifest on festivals too — the Congress on Vijaya Dashami portrayed its fight with the BJP as a battle between good and evil.

Visuals and graphics explaining the fight showed Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath on one side and Rahul Gandhi on the other. The argument was that the BJP relied on hatred, violence and lies and the Congress on compassion, unity and truth.

This message was posted on the party’s official Twitter handle and an article supporting this theme was uploaded on its website.

Underlining that Dussehra symbolised the victory of good against evil, the article said: “Symbolism is an essential part of human life and history. This symbolism of victory of good upon evil is essential, and maybe the most important message of Ramayana. The protagonist of Ramayana is Rama; he is the undisputed hero, but he is not the ordinary hero you see or envisage in daily life.”

It added: “The concept of Vir, or hero, in our culture is very different. As a popular Sanskrit couplet describes the heroics of Rama, it attributes the following characteristics: Tyaagvira: Sacrifice, Dayaavira: compassion, Vidyavira: wisdom, Dharamvira: righteousness, Parakaramvira: valour.”

The article continued: “Therefore, the victory of good was the victory of sacrifice, compassion, wisdom, righteousness and valour

over evil — anger, ego, spite, lies and greed.”

Linking this analogy to current polity, it said: “In hindsight, the idea of India as envisaged by our forefathers and as translated into the Constitution seems to be created in the image of Rama, or a reflection of his. The idea of India is rooted in unity in diversity. It was envisaged by people who understood Rama as he was. They were shaped in the image of Rama, unlike some people from our generation, who are trying to shape Rama in their image. They want Rama, but they want a Rama who serves their purpose because the real Rama would annihilate their agenda.”

Arguing that Ramayana is repeating itself daily at all levels, the article said: “Similarly, there is a Ramayana unravelling in the Indian polity too. On one side is the divisive, parochial, egoistic and wicked, and on the other side is the ‘idea of India’, or Rama. People of India, today, Sita (India) is in the grip of Raavana (the one who should not be named), and Rama (the ‘idea of India’) is the only one standing in its way, just like how it was centuries ago.”

In a message to Congress workers, the article said: “Where one Ramayana ends, another begins. We must regroup our forces for the

next battle ahead, as this is how the Creator planned it for us. This world is nothing but Ramayana again, and again, and again. It is the

aim for that utopian idea of Rama Rajya which must keep us going. Maybe, it will never be achieved, but it is in the hope of that perfect Ram Rajya that we work towards. Long live the ‘idea of India.”