Ram Temple Bhumi Pujan: Opposition Rebrands Itself, Priyanka Gandhi & Kamal Nath Appear In New 'Avatar'

While Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi endorsed the Ram Temple event, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath appeared in a 'Bhagwa'. Take a look at how the opposition responded to the event.

Photo: AFP

Ram Temple in Ayodhya: The much anticipated Ram Mandir Bhumi Pujan will start today at 12:30 pm and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the temple. PM will share the dais with just four other people — RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, trust chief Nritya Gopaldas Maharaj, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, and CM Yogi Adityanath. ALSO READ|Ram Mandir: PM Modi To Lay Foundation Stone Today | A Look At People Behind Ayodhya Movement While Ayodhya is all decked up for the historic event, opposition leaders have shared an unexpected response, most of them endorsing the Ram Mandir. Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh hailed the RamTemple event and said she hopes the ground-breaking ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya becomes a marker of “national unity, brotherhood and cultural harmony.”

सरलता, साहस, संयम, त्याग, वचनवद्धता, दीनबंधु राम नाम का सार है। राम सबमें हैं, राम सबके साथ हैं।

भगवान राम और माता सीता के संदेश और उनकी कृपा के साथ रामलला के मंदिर के भूमिपूजन का कार्यक्रम राष्ट्रीय एकता, बंधुत्व और सांस्कृतिक समागम का अवसर बने। मेरा वक्तव्य pic.twitter.com/ZDT1U6gBnb — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 4, 2020

"The 'bhoomi poojan' ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has been scheduled for August 5. Hope this event becomes a celebration of national unity, brotherhood and cultural harmony in accordance with the message of Lord Ram and with his blessings," she said a day before the ground-breaking ceremony or ‘bhoomi pujan’ of the temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday. Must Follow: LIVE Updates on Ayodhya ground-breaking ceremony The Congress leader further hoped the ceremony spreads the message and blessings of Lord Ram all across. "Simplicity, courage, restraint, sacrifice, commitment is the essence of the name Deenbandhu Ram. Lord Ram belongs to everybody. Lord Ram wants everybody's welfare. That is why he is called 'Maryada Purshottam'," Gandhi added. Priyanka Gandhi's husband, Robert Vadra also took to twitter and shared a poster of himself in folded hands, appealing to everyone to make the mega event of Ram Temple 'bhumi pujan' a symbol a togetherness and brotherhood.

???? pic.twitter.com/FGJWDS0GPv

— Robert Vadra (@irobertvadra) August 4, 2020

Mamta Choudhary, the president of Uttar Pradesh Mahila Congress, tweeted a video with Gandhi’s quotes from the statement playing next to her image. The image is an old picture of Gandhi where she has folded her hands, has a tika on her forehead, and a marigold garland around her neck — with the Ram Mandir model in the background.

राम सबके हैं और सबका कल्याण चाहते है ।#राम_नाम_सुखदाई pic.twitter.com/X2f1xCxrI4

— Mamta Choudhary (@iMamtaChoudhary) August 4, 2020

A series of Congress leaders came out in support of the Ram Mandir bhoomi pujan — the latest being former Union minister Manish Tewari, who put out a video, humming lines from the famous bhajan ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’.

भगवान रामचन्द्र जी महाराज के भूमी पूजन के शुभ अफसर पर सब वैष्णव जनो और महनुभवों को कोटी कोटी बधाई pic.twitter.com/R00cfIWwu0

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) August 4, 2020

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath appeared in a 'Bhagwa' avatar on Twitter, while hosting a recital of 'Hanuman Chalisa' at his residence on Tuesday, ahead of the Ram Temple ceremony to be held in Ayodhya. The former Chief Minister also announced that 11 silver bricks would be donated to Ayodhya on Tuesday on behalf of the state Congress.

#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/MSLVNh6u0q

— Office Of Kamal Nath (@OfficeOfKNath) August 4, 2020

“We are sending 11 silver bricks to Ayodhya on behalf of the public of Madhya Pradesh,” announced Nath at his residence after recital of 'Hanuman Chalisa'. These bricks were bought by the Congress family by offering donations, he added. Nath also shared a video 'welcoming' the construction of Ram Temple and said that the ceremony and this day was much awaited.  He said that Ram Mandir is being constructed with the consent of each and very Indian and this is only possible in India.

मै अयोध्या में राम मंदिर निर्माण का स्वागत करता हूँ। देशवासियों को इसकी बहुत दिनों से अपेक्षा और आकांक्षा थी। — राम मंदिर का निर्माण हर भारतवासी की सहमति से हो रहा है, ये सिर्फ़ भारत में ही संभव है।

—कमलनाथ pic.twitter.com/4hPmBekPwO — MP Congress (@INCMP) August 5, 2020

Political parties that had formerly resisted the Ram temple movement have been largely measured in their criticism lately, not for once bringing up the demolition of the mosque, but mostly targeting the government for having an event during Covid-19 and not focussing enough on issues such as health and economy.

 Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi party chief and opposition in Uttar Pradesh also tweeted an endorsement of Ram Mandir quoting " Jai Mahadev, Jai Shri Ram, Jai Radha Krishna, Jai Hanuman."

Akhilesh Yadav said that he hopes the present and future generations will follow the paths shown by Lord Ram and will always pray for peace and harmony with a true heart.

 

जय महादेव जय सिया-राम जय राधे-कृष्ण जय हनुमान

भगवान शिव के कल्याण, श्रीराम के अभयत्व व श्रीकृष्ण के उन्मुक्त भाव से सब परिपूर्ण रहें! आशा है वर्तमान व भविष्य की पीढ़ियां भी मर्यादा पुरूषोत्तम के दिखाए मार्ग के अनुरूप सच्चे मन से सबकी भलाई व शांति के लिए मर्यादा का पालन करेंगी. — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 5, 2020

The temple town of Ayodhya is all set to witness the much-anticipated bhoomi pujan ceremony of Ram Temple today. The event will be attended by 175 people, including several high-profile dignitaries and saints from across the country.