Ramlala Pran Pratishtha: The Congress announced on Wednesday that Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not attend the Ram Mandir event on January 22. The party issued a statement to end speculation about the Congress' stance on the Ram Temple event, despite contradictory opinions from several INDIA bloc partners. The Congress stated that the consecration ceremony has "clearly" become an RSS/BJP event.
Cong chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury decline Ram Temple invitation, calling it RSS/BJP event
"Religion is a personal matter but RSS/BJP have made Ayodhya temple a political project. Inauguration of incomplete temple in Ayodhya by leaders of BJP, RSS obviously brought forward for electoral gain," the grand old party said in a statement today.
"Last month, the Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury received an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya to be held on January 22nd, 2024," the statement said.
"Lord Ram is worshipped by millions in our country. Religion is a personal matter. But the RSS/BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya. The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain. While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event," it read further.
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh expressed objections to the VHP's influence over the Ram temple trust, raising concerns about the appointment of certain individuals and alleging a divisionary approach reminiscent of British divide and rule tactics.
"We object to the fact that Shankaracharya is being insulted. What is VHP's right on Ram temple? We have made donations to the Ram temple. (Former PM) Narasimha Raoo had made 'Ramalay Nyas' with all four Shankaracharyas. Champat Rai is the promoter of VHP who has done a land scam. Such a man has been made the (Ram temple) Trust chief who is insulting the religion and dividing Hindu leaders and the religion. Why has Nirmohi Akhara's right been taken away? The BJP, Sangh & VHP hare using the Britishers' divide and rule policy now," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Commenting on the development, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said: "Congress took no steps over the last few decades for a temple at Ayodhya. They denied the existence of Lord Ram and delayed the hearing in Supreme Court. So, the Congress party officially stating that it is not going to attend Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha should come as no surprise," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.