West Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning whether "he was the only Hindu in the country," while reacting to the party's decision of not accepting the invitation to the Ram Temple's Pran Pratishtha event on January 22, news agency ANI reported. The opposition parties in the India bloc's decision to turn down an invitation to the January 22 Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event has sparked a political slugfest just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Chowdhury further said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is "dishonouring" Lord Ram by "using" his name for their "political motive."
Speaking with ANI, he stated: "What Shankaracharyas will be called then if we are called anti-Hindu for declining the invitation for Ram Temple 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. Is only PM Modi left in the whole nation who is Hindu. Hindus are not patents in Modi's pocket."
He further stated: "They (BJP) are dishonouring Lord Ram by using his name for their political motive."
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, as well as several Congress leaders, including national president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Sonia Gandhi, and the party's Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, have already declined invitations to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.
Earlier, Samajwadi Party (SP) head Akhilesh Yadav declined the offer, stating he will visit the shrine with his family at a later date.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over Shri Ram Lalla's ceremonial installation inside the temple's shrine. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Modi planned a special 11-day 'anushthan' (ritual) ahead of the Pran Pratishtha celebration at Ayodhya's Ram Temple.