The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has extended invitations to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. In response, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, stated that the decision on attendance would be communicated at the appropriate time.
Addressing the recent controversy surrounding senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s remarks on the Ram Mandir, Ramesh distanced himself from Pitroda, emphasizing that Pitroda’s statement does not represent the official stance of the Congress Party. Pitroda had questioned whether the Ram Mandir was the real issue or if unemployment held greater importance.
“Sam Pitroda’s statement is not an official statement of Congress; he doesn’t speak on behalf of the Congress party,” clarified Jairam Ramesh during an interaction with ANI. Regarding the invitation to Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, he added, “Chairperson Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have received invitations for January 22. The decision will be taken and communicated at the appropriate time.”
Pitroda’s comments drew criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, senior leaders Sushil Modi, Kailash Vijayvargiya, and others condemning the statements. Pradhan accused the Congress of displaying a “sense of loss, gloom, and dread” over the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha. Sushil Modi and Kailash Vijayvargiya questioned Pitroda’s understanding of Indian culture and criticized the Congress for not aligning with the sentiments of the people.
The consecration ceremony, scheduled for January 22, will witness the installation of the idol of Ram Lalla at the grand temple in Ayodhya. The event is expected to be attended by hundreds of officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Trust has also extended invitations to 4,000 saints of all sects for the historic ceremony.