'Doesn't speak for party': Congress on Sam Pitroda's Ram Mandir remarks

Sam Pitroda, the current chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, sparked outrage when he said that focusing on the Ram Temple over important matters like unemployment bothers him

Congress party, on Friday, distanced itself from senior member Sam Pitroda's recent statements questioning the significance of the Ram Temple construction in Ayodhya, emphasising that he does not reflect the party's stand on the matter.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh clarified that Pitroda's views, expressed in an interview with news agency ANI, were "his own" and that it did not represent the party's official position.

"He is not giving the Congress view, it's his view," Ramesh stated, adding that Pitroda "doesn't speak for the Congress party".

Pitroda, the current chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, sparked outrage when he said that focusing on the Ram Temple over important matters like unemployment "bothers" him. His statement came only days before the Ram Temple's scheduled inauguration on January 22, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to install the idol of Ram Lalla in the temple's sanctum sanctorum.

In the interview with ANI, Pitroda voiced his apprehensions about the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the excessive emphasis on religion in politics.

"I'm worried about it because too much importance is given to religion. I see that democracy is being undermined... There are signals I am getting that we are in the wrong direction. And when the entire nation is hung up on Ram Temple and Ram Janmabhoomi, diya jalao, it bothers me," Pitroda said.

Hitting out at PM Modi, Pitroda said, "It bothers me that everyone thinks that everything good happens in the country because of the prime minister."

Pitroda added that personal religious beliefs should not overshadow national issues such as education, employment, economic growth, inflation, health, environmental concerns, and pollution. However, he noted that "no one speaks" about these matters.

Sam Pitroda's comment sparks sharp BJP retort

Launching a scathing attack on Pitroda over his statement on Ram Mandir, Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi said that the Congress leader was not in touch with the ethos of the nation.

"These are the people for whom Lord Ram was only an imaginary character. All I can say is that people like Sam Pitroda are disconnected from this country and the ethos and values of this country. If they were connected, they would have known what Ramayan taught us, they would have understood the concept of Rama Rajya," she told ANI.

"They would also understand how invaders destroyed the Ram Temple. They tried to attack the Hindu value system. The value of the civilisation of this country and the resilience that Hindus have showcased for so many centuries. He would have understood," she added.

Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said, "How much does Sam Pitroda understand the sentiments of Indians?... He lives outside India and thinks unlike Indians. If you want to do politics in India, think like India and Indians."

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Alok Kumar also hit out at the grand old party over Pitroda's statement and said that the latter's statement confirms that the Congress party maintains a distance from Lord Ram.

"The statement of Sam Pitroda that he is bothered about the celebrations across the country over Ram Temple in Ayodhya, I am surprised by it. such programmes are done by the whole community, we're not accepting govt's money for it and govt is not making any arrangements. The devoted persons are holding such programmes. This is a confirmation that Congress maintains a distance with Lord Ram," he added.