'Clearly an RSS/BJP event': Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury won't attend Ram Mandir inauguration

The Congress on Wednesday said that Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not attend the Ram Mandir inauguration on 22 January, ending speculations over the Congress's stance on the event."Last month, the Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury received an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya to be held on January 22nd, 2024," the Congress said in a statement issued by the party general secretary Jairam Ramesh.Describing the event as an RSS/BJP event, the Congress said that Lord Ram is worshipped by millions in the country but the RSS/BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya.“Lord Ram is worshipped by millions in our country. Religion is a personal matter. But the RSS/BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya," the statement read.The statement further said that inauguration of the incomplete temple is being done to make electoral gains ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections."The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain. While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event,” the statement added.The Ram temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and more than 6,000 people expected to attend the 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony.With inputs from agencies