"BJP dishonouring Lord Ram, using name for political motive," alleges Adhir Chowdhury
Jan 19, 2024
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 19 : West Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party is "dishonouring" Lord Ram by "using" his name for their "political motive" while responding to the party declining the invitation for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22.
The decision to snub the invitation to the January 12 Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony by the opposing parties of the India bloc has triggered a political slugfest just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning whether "he was the only Hindu in the country."
Speaking with the ANI, the congress leader said, "What Shankaracharyas will be called then if we are called anti-Hindu for declining the invitation for Ram Temple 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony? Is only PM Modi left in the whole nation who is Hindu...?"
"They (the BJP) are dishonouring Lord Ram by using his name for their political motive...," he added.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and a host of Congress bigwigs -- national president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Sonia Gandhi and the party's Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury--have already turned down the invitation to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav earlier in the month turned down the invitation saying he will visit the temple with his family at a later date.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the ceremonial installation of Shri Ram Lalla inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Earlier, in the month, PM Modi announced a special 11-day 'anushthan' (ritual) ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya's Ram Temple.