New Delhi: Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not attend the Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya on January 22, with the party terming it as an "RSS/BJP event."
In a statement released here, Jairam Ramesh, General Secretary (communication) of Congress said that the inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain.
He 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".
Congress president & LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury decline the invitation "to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event": Jairam Ramesh, General Secretary… pic.twitter.com/REc503PBVv
It may be mentioned that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust last month had sent invitations to Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party's leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
The Congress leader said, "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.
Reacting on Congress decision, Union Minister Smriti Irani says, "Congress party's anti-Lord Ram face is before the nation. It is no surprise that under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, the party that had filed an affidavit before the court that Lord Ram is a fictional character, its leadership declined the invitation to the 'pranpratishtha' of Ram Temple...Under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Congress, INDI Alliance has insulted Sanatan Dharma again and again. Now, the declining of the invitation to the 'pranpratishtha' by leaders of the INDI Alliance reflects their anti-Sanatan mindset."
#WATCH | On Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi & Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declining the invitation to 'pranpratishtha' ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Union Minister Smriti Irani says, "Congress party's anti-Lord Ram face is before the nation. It is no surprise that under the… https://t.co/HKG9WUpapwpic.twitter.com/saoDQFOT4e
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "As far as Ram Mandir is concerned, it is a matter of our devotion and I won't do any politics over this. But there is one question, there are four Shankaracharyas in the country and they too have said that they won't participate in the ceremony. Are they too wrong?...Lord Ram resides in all our hearts, minds, religion, faith, decisions and acts. There is no politics over that. The question is, who is doing politics over this?"
#WATCH | On Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi & Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declining the invitation to 'pranpratishtha' ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "As far as Ram Mandir is concerned, it is a matter of our devotion and I won't do any… https://t.co/HKG9WUoCzYpic.twitter.com/fSlEAreYdt
On Congress declining the invitation to 'pranpratishtha' ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and BJP's criticism for it, TMC West Bengal State General Secretary Kunal Ghosh says, "Our leader has made everything clear. We respect all religions. We worship Lord Ram but this RSS-BJP symbol is being misused in this Ram Temple event. It is being misused to divide people in the name of religion. That is why, we are opposing this particular event, not opposing Lord Ram."
#WATCH | On Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi & Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declining the invitation to 'pranpratishtha' ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and BJP's criticism for it, TMC West Bengal State General Secretary Kunal Ghosh says, "Our leader has made everything clear. We… https://t.co/HKG9WUoCzYpic.twitter.com/iOdSkXObsZ
