Siddaramaiah slams Bharatiya Janata Party for politicizing Ram temple consecration ceremony

File Photo

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party for politicizing the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, stating that Lord Ram does not belong to any political party.

He emphasized that the Congress is also devoted to Lord Ram and inaugurated a temple in Hirenralli dedicated to Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Lord Hanuman, and Lord Laxman, asserting that it was built out of genuine devotion rather than political motives.

Siddaramaiah, planning a future visit to Ayodhya, maintained that the essence of Lord Ram remains consistent everywhere, and the temple in Mahadevpur is not a political statement.

He criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for falsely portraying opposition parties as against Lord Ram and accused them of obstructing the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam, alleging malicious intentions.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader, took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after being denied entry to the Batadrava Than in Assam, the birthplace of Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva. Gandhi questioned the denial, stating, "What crime have I committed that I cannot visit the temple?" and sarcastically remarked on the current situation regarding temple visits.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said that the construction of the Ram Temple is a reflection of the maturity of the Indian society.

Prime Minister Modi, while addressing the dignitaries invited for the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya said that the moment of unveiling of the Ram Lalla idol is an occasion of not merely of triumph but humility too.

"This is a moment of celebration as well as the moment of a reflection of Indian society's maturity It is an occasion of not merely triumph but humility too. The history of the world is itself proof that many countries get strangled in their own history and such countries faced difficulties when they tried to solve their problems...but the way, our country untied the knots of history, is the proof that our future is going to be more beautiful than our past," he said.

The PM said that the construction of the temple which was supposed to 'set off a firestorm' is a symbol of peace, patience, harmony and integration of the country.

"There was also a time when some people used to say 'Ram Mandir bana toh aag lag jaegi' (the construction of the temple will set of a firestorm). Such people could not understand the purity of India's social spirit. The construction of this temple of Ram Lalla is also a symbol of peace, patience, mutual harmony and coordination of the Indian society. We are seeing that this construction is not giving birth to any fire, but to energy" he added. (With inputs from agencies)