India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, was recently presented to veteran BJP lawmaker Lal Krishna Advani. With this distinction, he joins the ranks of other right-wing leaders who have received similar recognition from the Modi administration, such as Madan Mohan Malviya, Nanaji Deshmukh, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This praise, however, begs concerns about Advani’s political history, especially in light of his involvement in the divisive Rath Yatra and the violent Hindutva movement of the 1990s, which profoundly changed India’s political climate.

Hindutva posturing that is aggressive and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement
Advani was a key figure in the Ram Janmabhoomi Andolan, a movement that brought Hindutva ideology into the mainstream and signaled a sea change in Indian politics. In the 1990s, Advani, a founding member of the BJP, led the controversial Rath Yatra, a movement that not only brought right-wing Hindutva politics back to life but also took a militant turn. The movement aimed to capitalize on religious sensitivities to develop a Hindu vote bank, incite communal tensions, and bring Hindutva back to politics.
The Political Spirituality of Rath Yatra
Advani led the Rath Yatra, which attempted to make Hindus more politically aware. The building of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya was portrayed as a sign of the nation’s culture being reclaimed from those who were seen as foes, such as Muslims, secularists, and Western influences. The Yatra spanned a lot of land and developed into a mass-oriented event that heightened tensions within communities and attempted to divide the country into sacred regions, with Ayodhya at its center.
Leadership Without regret and Tough Impacts
Advani led the Rath Yatra with unreserved give up, displaying a hardline Hindutva political style. Violent processions and intercommunal conflicts were the outcome of hardline Hindu groups actively participating in the Yatra. Advani’s support for these actions and his comments against Muslims led to a great deal of intercommunal violence, which had a long-lasting effect on the political and social climate.

Respect towards the Law
Advani publicly rejected secularism, the constitutional order, and the judiciary’s adjudicatory authority throughout the Yatra. He challenged the secular basis of the constitution by arguing that questions of faith should not be subject to scientific, historical, or legal scrutiny. In spite of these appeals, the judiciary ultimately decided whether or not to build the Ram Temple on the contested location, highlighting the importance of the rule of law.
Legacy and Bharat Ratna Controversy
Hindutva ideology and communal politics have been shaped by Advani’s political career, which has had a long-lasting effect on Indian politics. His connection to the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the BJP’s ascent, and the ensuing Bharat Ratna award highlight how communal politics have changed in India. This acknowledgement is a reflection of both his contentious political career and the nation’s overall success with Hindutva politics.
To sum up, Lal Krishna Advani’s quest for Bharat Ratna highlights the long-lasting influence of his leadership on the socio-political fabric of India and captures the intricate relationship between politics, religion, and the law in that country.