Cong dubs Ayodhya consecration event as ‘Chunav Navami’

Hours after Congress released a statement refusing to attend the consecration ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, many of its alliance partners, including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP), and Trinamool Congress (TMC), too announced their ‘inability to attend’ the event.

Terming the day “Chunav Navami” and RSS-BJP’s ‘political gimmick’, the parties said it had “no connection with religion or devotion”.

However, JD(U) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have kept everyone guessing as they are yet to come up with a public statement regarding the ceremony.

Senior RJD leaders said the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony will violate the rules of Shastra (Hindu scriptures). The party leaders and workers will worship Lord Ram at home, but will not attend a ‘politically motivated’ event, said the senior leaders.

Leaders of Samajwadi Party said the event does not have any connection with religion. As Bengal’s chief minister and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee said religion is ‘private’, senior leaders of the party also claimed that no leader would be attending the event.

The JD(U) leaders, however, claim the party is yet to take the final call. Talking to News18, senior leader KC Tyagi said: “We have not decided yet. We will take a call on this soon.”

The consecration of the Ram Mandir on January 22 is only about BJP satisfying its vested political interests, said Kiranmoy Nanda, national vice-president of SP.

“We have decided that we will not attend the ceremony. We all worship Lord Ram. But the way the ceremony is happening, and the way it has been hijacked by a political party, there is no connection with religion or religious devotion. It is nothing but a political show, a political gimmick ahead of the general elections,” Nanda told News 18.

Citing the statements of Shankaracharyas who will be skipping the ceremony, Shakti Singh Yadav, national spokesperson of RJD, said his party too would not attend the event.

“We do not learn religious values from the BJP. The way they are rushing with the ceremony and opting for Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla in an incomplete temple, everyone can see their motive. It is blatantly political and being planned for electoral gain. Anyone who is pious will reject such actions. The Shankaracharyas, who are respected by all of us, have also come out and criticised such a ceremony,” said Yadav.

“They (BJP) could have easily planned this ceremony on Ram Navami. Instead they chose this time. It is Chunav Navami. They have to pay a price for playing with people’s religious belief,” he added.