In a move that has ignited a fresh political controversy, the Congress party has decided to decline the invitation to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22. The ceremony, marking the installation of the idol of Lord Ram at the grand Ram Temple, is set to draw dignitaries from across the country.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, criticized the Congress for its decision, stating that rejecting the invitation was equivalent to disowning the country’s identity. Chouhan emphasized that Lord Ram represents the soul and identity of Bharat, and the Congress’s refusal reflects a rejection of India’s culture. He went on to say that such positions are the reason the Congress finds itself marginalized today.
The rejection was announced by senior Congress leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who cited the event as a ‘BJP/RSS event’ in a statement released by Jairam Ramesh, the party’s general secretary. Ramesh mentioned that while Lord Ram is worshipped by millions in the country, the BJP and RSS have turned the temple inauguration into a political project.
“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 read. It further stated that, respecting the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honoring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, the Congress leaders have respectfully declined the invitation to what they perceive as an RSS/BJP event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the installation ceremony on January 22, and preparations are in full swing for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony. The ceremony will span seven days, starting from January 16, with Vedic rituals leading up to the main event.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple at noon on January 22. The main rituals of the consecration ceremony will be performed by the priest from Varanasi, Lakshmi Kant Dixit.
The Congress’s decision to skip the ceremony has added a political dimension to the religious event, with differing views on the significance of the Ram Temple inauguration in Ayodhya. The stage is set for a heated debate as the nation awaits the historic event, which holds immense spiritual, historical, and cultural significance for the people of India.
