"Which 'Panchang' has BJP referred to..? " : Congress leader Pawan Khera on Pran Pratishtha of Ayodhya Ram Temple

New Delhi [India], January 12 : Questioning the timing of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Temple, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday queried whether the event would be held under the guidance of the Shankaracharyas of the four peeths- the major shrines in the country.
"There is a system and set of rituals to perform Pran Pratishtha... If this event is religious, then is it happening under the guidance of the Shankaracharyas of the four Peeths? All four Shankaracharyas have said clearly that the Pran Pratishtha of an incomplete temple cannot be done. If this event is not religious, then it is political... It is not acceptable that people of a political party are sitting as middlemen between me and my God... A political group is acting like a 'Thekedar'... Which 'Panchang' has the BJP referred to before finalising the date? The date has been chosen keeping the elections in mind" said Congress leader Pawan Khera.
Senior Congress leader TS Singh Deo had on Thursday questioned the timing of the 'Pran Patishtha' ceremony at the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya, close to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He alleged that the event is not 'purely religious' and has distinct 'political undertones'.
Speaking to ANI on Thursday, former Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister claimed that the temple was being inaugurated even before completion, with an eye on the upcoming general elections.
Asserting that no leader in the opposition has any objection to the opening of the Ram Temple and is respectful of the deity and the public sentiments around him, the Congress leader said, "If this ('Pran Pratishtha) was purely religious then nobody would have had any objection. But this is totally political. Why did they (BJP) have to schedule the ceremonial function on January 22, before the completion of the temple construction? It has all been done with an eye on the (Lok Sabha) elections. Why was the event scheduled for January 22? Why is it being done with the elections around the corner? That is what people have objections to. Nobody objects to Lord Ram."
Earlier this week, Congress bigwigs--national president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury--turned down the invitation to the Ram Temple opening, labelling it as an event of the BJP and the RSS.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to preside over the 'Pran Pratistha' and ceremonial opening of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
Vedic rituals for the 'Pran-Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla (infant Lord Ram) in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, a week before the main ceremony.
A priest from Varanasi, Lakshmi Kant Dixit, will perform the main rituals of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22. From January 14 to January 22, Ayodhya will mark the Amrit Mahotsav.
A 1008 Hundi Mahayagya will also be organised, in which thousands of devotees will be fed. Several tent cities are being erected in Ayodhya to accommodate thousands of devotees, who are expected to arrive in the temple town of Uttar Pradesh for the grand 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.
According to the Sri Ram Janambhoomi Trust, arrangements will be made for 10,000-15,000 people.
Local authorities are also gearing up for the anticipated surge in visitors around the grand ceremony and are in the process of implementing enhanced security measures and making logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth and spiritually enriching experience for all attendees.