The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a scathing attack on Congress for declining the invitation to attend the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi questioned the intention of Congress and alleged that the party is against Hindu religion and Hindutva. He further said that Iqbal Ansari, a former litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land suit, is also coming for the ceremony but not the Congress party.
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'This is Nehru's Congress, not Gandhi's'
He also said this is not Gandhi's Congress, but Nehru's Congress. "This is Nehru's Congress, this is not Gandhi's Congress. Mahatma Gandhi used to sing 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' and today Congress is not attending the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony. This shows Congress is against Hindu religion and Hindutva..." the BJP MP added.
Hitting out further, Trivedi drew attention to a series of past instances where Congress chose to boycott various events. pointed out that Congress had previously boycotted the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building, the G20 Summit, Kargil Vijay Diwas from 2004 to 2009, and remained silent for ten days after the Pokhran nuclear test in May 1998 during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government. Additionally, Trivedi mentioned Congress's boycott of the Bharat Ratna ceremony for former President Pranab Mukherjee, a member of their own party. The BJP leader suggested that the public is expressing a similar sentiment by choosing to "boycott Congress from power."
BJP slams Congress for declining Ram Mandir event invite
The BJP has strongly criticised the Congress following its announcement that party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former chief Sonia Gandhi, and Lok Sabha leader of the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury would not be attending the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple. The Congress, referring to the event as a 'BJP/RSS event,' asserted in a statement, "Religion is a personal matter. However, the RSS/BJP have consistently turned the temple in Ayodhya into a political project. The inauguration of the unfinished temple by BJP and RSS leaders seems to have been strategically advanced for electoral gains."
Ram temple consecration ceremony
It should be mentioned here that Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple on January 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the ceremony. Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, holds great spiritual, historical and cultural significance for the people of India. A Vedic priest from Varanasi, Lakshmi Kant Dixit, will perform the main rituals of the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22. From January 14 to January 22, Ayodhya will mark the Amrit Mahautsav.
ALSO READ: 'Clearly an RSS/BJP event': Sonia Gandhi, Kharge won't attend Ram Temple ceremony in Ayodhya
