Who’s in, who’s out: Political tensions rise as some turn down Ram Temple consecration invitation | India News

NEW DELHI: As the date for the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya draws near, a fresh political controversy has erupted over the invitations extended to various political leaders.

Yechury not in

The event, scheduled for January 22 next year, has sparked mixed reactions from different political quarters with the CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury declining the invitation.

‘Attempt to politicise religious event’

Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Tuesday had said that her party would skip the Ram Temple inauguration ceremony calling it ‘an attempt to politicise a religious programme. ‘
“Our party will not attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. We respect the religious sentiments of the people but they (BJP) are combining religion with politics. This is an attempt to politicise a religious programme. This is not right,” Karat said.

A show-off, says Sibal

Expressing his desire to not to participate in any “show off”, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said, “Lord Ram is in his heart” further adding, “This whole issue is a show off”.

Not invited

In contrast, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav reportedly expressed her willingness to visit the Ram temple inauguration ceremony if she had received an invitation.
“We have not been invited as yet. But even if we do not get the invitation to the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, we’ll go later in any case, after the scheduled date,” she said.

Sena MP’s ‘VIP’ dig

Taking a dig at the BJP over the guest list for the Ram Temple inauguration, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that only top political leaders are being invited further adding that PM Modi was the only ‘VIP’ in the country.
His remarks were in response to BJP minister Girish Mahajan’s statement that Uddhav Thackeray may not be on the Centre’s VVIP list, hence he may not be invited, but MNS head Raj Thackeray may be.

BJP’s defence

Hitting back at the criticisms, BJP leader and Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi said, “The invitations have been sent to all. Those called by Lord Ram will only reach Ayodhya.”
The Ram Mandir Trust has invited Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi for the Ram temple consecration.