Cong tells why its leaders will not attend Ram Mandir consecration ceremony; BJP said this

The Congress party has declared that its leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, have politely rejected the invitation to participate in the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir. The party alleges that the event has been transformed into a "political project" by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for electoral advantages.

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary, disclosed the decision of the top leaders and raised questions about the motivation behind the inauguration of the "incomplete" temple by the BJP and RSS leaders. Last month, the Congress leaders received an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony scheduled for January 22, 2024.

Ramesh emphasized the significance of Lord Ram's worship but criticized the BJP and RSS for turning the temple into a political endeavour. He asserted that the hasty inauguration of the unfinished temple is a strategic move for electoral gains. While respecting the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram and adhering to the 2019 Supreme Court judgment, Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have chosen not to participate in what they view as an RSS/BJP event.

The consecration ceremony, scheduled for January 22, is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and over 6,000 individuals. The temple trust has also extended invitations to 4,000 seers from across the country and 50 guests from foreign countries.

Ahead of the ceremony, the BJP, RSS, and affiliated Hindutva organizations have initiated a nationwide mass outreach program, urging people to visit the holy site. The BJP has directed its state units to launch a cleanliness campaign around temples starting January 14 and encourage people to participate in the January 22 event by offering prayers at local temples.

While some Congress members, like Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh, have expressed their intention to attend the ceremony, a group of around 100 Congress office-bearers from Uttar Pradesh, including state unit chief Ajay Rai and state in-charge Avinash Pande, plan to visit Ayodhya on January 15, coinciding with Makar Sankranti.

Anurag Thakur said this

Union Minister Anurag Thakur's reaction has come after Congress's decision not to participate in the consecration program of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Anurag Thakur has said that there is nothing new in this, it was bound to happen.

He said, "Congress has always opposed Lord Ram and tried to defame Sanatan Dharma. It has also denied the existence of Lord Ram on many occasions. If the party decided to boycott the Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha ceremony, the people of India will also boycott it in the upcoming (Lok Sabha) elections."