Congress chief Kharge, senior leaders Sonia, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury decline invitation to attend Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya
The Hindu
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the party’s leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have “politely declined” the invitation to attend the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the party’s leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have “politely declined” the invitation to attend the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya on January 22.
In a statement, the party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh cited the temple being made a “political project” by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the RSS, as a reason behind turning down the invitation.
Also read | Opposition continues to struggle with calibrating a response to Ram temple festivities
“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 in the statement.
The ceremony later this month is being treated as a “national festival” by the Uttar Pradesh State administration head by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi, key BJP leaders (including veteran L.K. Advani) are expected to attend the event.
“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,” Mr. Ramesh said.
From the Congress, while State units such as the Kerala one had opposed the idea of party leaders attending. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu will be in Ayodhya to be part of the festivities, and thanked the Vishva Hindu Parishad and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for extending an invitation to him.
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