Congress top brass, including Sonia Gandhi, Kharge, won't attend Ram Mandir inauguration

The Congress party said that its senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not be attending at the upcoming Ram Mandir consecration slated for January 22. The decision, as per a party statement, aimed to address the apparent “political project” of the event, distancing itself from what it perceives as “clearly an RSS/BJP event”.

In their formal statement, the Congress expressed reverence for Lord Ram, acknowledging his significance in the hearts of millions across the nation. However, the party highlighted the strategic political aspect the RSS/BJP had attached to the construction of the temple in Ayodhya.

“Lord Ram is worshipped by millions in our country. Religion is a personal matter. But the RSS/BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya. The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain,” the statement said.

The statement clarified that while respecting the sentiments tied to Lord Ram and in compliance with the 2019 Supreme Court judgment, the leaders declined the invitation to an event they view as a clear political maneuvering by the ruling alliance. “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,” it said.

The Congress emphasized three key reasons for their decision. Firstly, they iterated the BJP’s and RSS’s continuous effort to politicize the Ram temple, turning it into a project driven by electoral motives. Secondly, the temple’s incomplete status was cited as a factor in declining the invitation. Thirdly, the abrupt advancement of the inauguration date was deemed an opportunistic move for political advantage.

This announcement echoes similar sentiments expressed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who criticized the BJP’s handling of the Ram Mandir event. Banerjee labeled it a “gimmick show” strategically orchestrated ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, suggesting an underlying political motive behind the grand ceremony.