'Will regret': BJP after Sonia, Kharge, Adhir Ranjan decline invitation

BJP's reaction came hours after the Congress said that Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not be attending the Ram mandir opening ceremony

Ram mandir opening updates: Union Minister and BJP leader Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday said that the Congress party will regret its decision not to attend the January 22 consecration ceremony of the Ram temple.

"They are stuck in their rhetoric...Why take them seriously? They will regret it if they don't go," said Puri.

His remarks came hours after the grand old party announced that senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not attend the Ram mandir opening ceremony.

"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 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, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event," the Congress said in an official statement.

'Congress's decision wasn't surprising'

Slamming the Congress, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said the decision wasn't surprising as they had already denied Lord Ram's existence.

"The Congress took no steps over the last few decades for a temple at Ayodhya. They denied the existence of Lord Ram and delayed the hearing in the Supreme Court. So, the Congress party officially stating that it is not going to attend Ram mandir Pran Pratistha should come as no surprise," he said.

BJP national secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa also condemned the Congress's decision.

"Congress' denial to attend the Ram mandir Pran Pratistha is their party's stand and that's okay, but quoting that this is a BJP event is unacceptable. I condemn their statement," Sirsa said.

 

Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration: Who is not attending?

Earlier on Tuesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP was indulging in a "gimmick show" through the inauguration of Ram mandir in Ayodhya ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

"I believe in festivities that take along people from all communities and speak about unity. The BJP is doing it [Ram Mandir inauguration] under court instruction but doing it before Lok Sabha polls as a gimmick show," she said, adding, "I don't believe in dividing people on religious lines."

In addition, CPI (M) said that it will not be attending the event. Party leader Brinda Karat said, "No, we will not go. We respect the religious beliefs... but they [BJP] are connecting a religious program with politics. Using religion as a political weapon or to advance a political agenda is not right."