Out and out political event: Congress slams BJP over Ram temple consecration ceremony

New Delhi: Hitting out at the BJP, the Congress on Friday said the ruling party has made the Ram temple consecration ceremony an "out and out political event" which is being held without taking the advice of shankaracharyas and by disregarding religious procedures.

The opposition party also said religion is a personal matter and anyone is free to go to Ayodhya for 'darshan' but the invitation that was declined was for the January 22 event, of which "massive politicisation" is taking place.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera alleged that the consecration ceremony is not being held keeping in mind religious procedures.

"Is it being conducted keeping in mind religious procedures on the advice of the shankaracharyas," Khera asked.

All four shankaracharyas have said that the consecration ceremony of an "incomplete temple" cannot be done, he said.

Khera further said, "Why will I tolerate workers of a political party becoming middlemen between me and my God?" He said, "The first question is does one go to God's temple after an invitation. Be it a temple, church or mosque, will we wait for an invitation. Who will decide on what date and which section of people will go? Will a political party decide?" Khera alleged the BJP's IT cell has started a campaign against the shankaracharyas.

"There is no dharma and 'aastha' (faith), there is only politics in this (event)," Khera said.

"We want to know how the date for it was decided. Tareekh ka chunaav nahi hua hai, chunaav dekh kar tareekh tae ki hai (The date has been selected keeping elections in mind)," he said.

"For one person's political tamasha, we cannot allow... (anyone to play) with our 'aastha' and God," he said.

Khera claimed that religious leaders wanted to hold the consecration ceremony on Ram Navami.

This is not a religious event but an "out and out political event", he charged.

Congress social media department head Supriya Shrinate, who was also present at the press conference, said the criticism of the party's top leaders for deciding not to attend the consecration ceremony has been manufactured by the BJP.

She said the BJP has divided people on the lines of caste, religion and language but now it is trying to divide 'Sanatan Dharma'.

"The Congress regards personal faith as supreme. We have gone to temples, churches and mosques and will keep going as per personal beliefs," she said.

Shrinate pointed out that Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee leaders have already decided that they would visit Ayodhya for 'darshan' on January 15.

"There are no restrictions on anyone. There was a personal invitation and massive politicisation of the event was seen. We have refused to go on January 22. We are free to go anytime," she said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday "respectfully declined" the invitation to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony with the party accusing the BJP and the RSS of making it a "political project" for electoral gain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and more than 6,000 people are expected to attend the January 22 consecration ceremony.

The Ram temple trust has also invited 4,000 seers from across the country and 50 guests from foreign countries.

The BJP and the RSS and affiliate Hindutva organisations like the Vishva Hindu Parishad have launched a nationwide mass connect programme in the run-up to the ceremony, urging people to visit the holy place after the consecration ceremony.