Congres leaders defend decision to skip ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony

The Congress party has decided not to participate in the ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony of the Ram Temple scheduled for January 22, labeling it as an event organized by the RSS and BJP. In response, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have criticized the Congress, describing it as “unfortunate, painful, and shameful.”

The Congress, declaring the Ayodhya Ram Temple inauguration as a “political project” of the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, announced its decision to skip the grand ceremony on Wednesday.

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad expressed disappointment, stating, “It is very unfortunate, painful, and shameful… They had always opposed Ram Janmabhoomi… The Congress Party had ruled the country, yet where has it reduced itself to today?”

Another BJP MP, Sudhanshu Trivedi, accused the Congress of boycotting various events in the past, including the inauguration of the new Parliament building and the G20 Summit. He emphasized the public’s disapproval of the Congress party and its diminishing influence.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya highlighted that the Congress’s refusal to attend indicates its opposition to Lord Ram and clarified that the invitation came from the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, not the government or the BJP.

Champat Rai, the secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, acknowledged that several invited individuals are not attending, citing various reasons.

In contrast, former litigant Iqbal Ansari expressed his intent to attend the ceremony, emphasizing the personal nature of the decision. Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress of lacking the “moral strength” to go to Ayodhya and labeled them as “seasonal Hindus.”

Union Minister Smriti Irani accused the Congress and the INDIA bloc of having an anti-Sanatana mindset, citing their historical opposition to Lord Ram. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah clarified that the Congress is not against Lord Ram but is opposing the political manipulation of the issue by the BJP.

Senior Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, officially declined the invitation, citing the event as an “RSS/BJP event” and emphasizing their respect for the sentiments of those who revere Lord Ram.

Preparations are underway for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, scheduled for January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend the installation of the Ram Lalla idol at the grand temple. The ceremony is planned over seven days, commencing on January 16.