"Didn't Intend To Hurt Anyone": Congress Over Snubbed Ram Mandir Invite
NDTV
Ever since the Congress's snub to the Ram Temple invite, the BJP has been taking pot shots at the grand old party, accusing it of denying the country's identity and soul.
Amid discordant notes within a section of the party and perceived public anger over the refusal by top leaders to attend the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla at his birthplace in Ayodhya on January 22, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said the decision wasn't intended to hurt anyone's sentiments or any religion.
Earlier, Congress bigwigs--Mr Kharge, former national president Sonia Gandhi and the party's Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chiwdhury--turned down the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, calling it a 'BJP-RSS' event.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, the Congress president said, "We have already said that if anyone wants to visit Ayodhya (for the 'Pran Pratishtha' event on January 22), they are free to go anytime they want. However, the BJP has been targeting us relentlessly over our decision not to attend the event. This is unfair. Our decision was not intended to hurt the sentiments of any person or religion."