Congress rejects Ram temple invitation terming it as 'RSS/BJP event'

Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, along with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has chosen not to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, scheduled for January 22, 2024. In a statement released by Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, the leaders expressed their respectful decline, asserting that the event has been manipulated into a "political project" by the BJP and the RSS for electoral gain. Ramesh questioned the motive behind inaugurating an "incomplete" temple, emphasizing the Congress leaders' commitment to abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment while respecting the sentiments of those who revere Lord Ram.

The decision by the Congress leadership comes a month after they received invitations to attend the inauguration ceremony. Ramesh, highlighting the personal nature of religion, criticized the RSS/BJP's alleged politicization of the Ayodhya temple project. He suggested that the timing of the inauguration, bringing it forward, appears to be influenced by electoral considerations. While the leaders acknowledge the reverence for Lord Ram among millions in the country, they stand firm in their decision to decline participation, characterizing the event as primarily affiliated with the RSS/BJP.