The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday slammed Congress for politics over Ayodhya Ram Mandir ahead of the Ram Navami as the poll temperatures soar with Lok Sabha elections drawing close. Addressing a poll rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that the grand old party "dislikes" Ram Mandir.
The Congress party had declined the invitation to the January 22 inauguration ceremony of the Ayodhya temple alleging that Modi is using the event for his electoral gains after which the saffron party has been on offensive against the main opposition party of the country.
Modi said that the issues has been and will never become a poll issue.
“You all must have seen how much Congress dislikes 'Ram Mandir'. They call ‘Ram Mandir’ Modi’s election issue. It has never been and will never become an election topic. Ram Mandir’s struggle is 500 years old when there used to be no elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched an attack on the opposition ally Samajwadi Party along with Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress saying they did not attend the consecration ceremony due to "fear of vote banks".
"After 500 years, Ram Lalla will celebrate his birthday in his grand temple instead of a tent on this Ramnavami. SP, BSP, Congress, all three kept opposing the temple. PM Modi built the temple and has done the 'Pran Pratishtha'. They were sent the invitation for January 22, but they rejected it as they have the fear of their vote bank," Shah said while addressing a poll rally in Moradabad.
"Those who have opposed the construction of the temple for years didn't have the moral courage to attend the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony...," he added.
The country will celebrate the festival of Ram Navami on April 17.