Congress Leaders Decline Ayodhya Temple Inauguration Invite
NEW DELHI: The Congress party has decided to abstain from the grand inauguration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple, characterizing it as a “political project” orchestrated by the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, declined the invitations, citing concerns about the political nature of the event.
Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh emphasized that the BJP and RSS have turned the temple into a political venture, strategically timing the premature inauguration for electoral advantage.
While expressing respect for the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and acknowledging Lord Ram’s devotees’ sentiments, Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury respectfully declined the invitation to what they perceive as an RSS/BJP-centric event.
The Congress’s decision to boycott the ceremony adds to the growing tensions between the Congress and BJP, potentially leveraging BJP’s narrative of Congress appeasement to minority sentiments. Several opposition parties, including the Left and Trinamool Congress, also plan to skip the event, providing the BJP with potential political advantage.
The construction of the temple has been a key aspect of the BJP’s political agenda, contributing to its rise in the 1990s. The January 22 inauguration, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is anticipated to draw political leaders, industrialists, actors, and notable figures. The event, preceded by the inauguration of an international airport and redeveloped railway station, is generating widespread interest. The live broadcast will reach audiences across India and globally, with schools and colleges in Uttar Pradesh closing for the occasion.
ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಎಂದೂ ರಾಮಮಂದಿರ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣದ ಪರ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ, ಸಂದರ್ಭ ಬಂದಾಗಲೆಲ್ಲ ರಾಮ ನಿಂದನೆಗೆ ಕುಮ್ಮಕ್ಕು ನೀಡುವ ಕುಯುಕ್ತಿ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ‘ಶ್ರೀರಾಮ ಮಂದಿರ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾಪನೆಗೆ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ’ ಎನ್ನುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ಸಿಗರ ಒಳ ಬೇಗುದಿ ಇಂದು ಅನಾವರಣಗೊಂಡಿದೆ.
“ಬಲವಂತದ ಮಾಘ ಸ್ನಾನದ ಮನಸ್ಥಿತಿಯವರ ಉಪಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಪಾವಿತ್ರ್ಯತೆಯ… pic.twitter.com/FHuh1DmIQ1
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) January 10, 2024
