Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury decline Ram temple consecration invite

Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. Pic/X@kharge

The Congress on Wednesday announced that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have "respectfully declined" the Ram temple consecration invite, alleging that it has been made into a "political project" by the BJP and the RSS for "electoral gain".

While declining the Ram temple consecration invite, in a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned the motive behind the inauguration of the "incomplete" temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS.

"Last month, the Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury received an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya to be held on January 22nd, 2024," Jairam Ramesh said in the statement.

"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," Ramesh said.

"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," the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said.

Earlier, Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday said that "politicising" the issue of the Ram Temple is "wrong."

Speaking to reporters, the Congress leader said that he does not need anyone's invitation to express his faith and visit the temple.

"I will go whenever I feel like it. This is an emotional and religious issue; it is wrong to do politics, Ram Mandir," Pilot said.

He further said that if the political leaders want to do politics, then they should take up issues like farmer poverty, economic policy and inflation.

"Do politics on farmers, the poor, economic policy, and inflation. In today's global market, the price of crude oil has halved but the Indian government is not reducing the price," he added.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)