NEW DELHI: The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to make the grand
Ram Temple consecration ceremony
in
Ayodhya
on January 22 a memorable event even as the opposition parties under the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc seem to be a divided lot with many of them caught in a Catch-22 situation - to attend or not to attend.
For the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for party's mega plans with his visit to Ayodhya last week.
The Prime Minister said that the whole world is waiting for the "historic moment". He also appealed to people to light special diyas -- Shri Ram Jyoti -- in their homes to celebrate the day of 'pran pratishtha' at
Ram temple
as 'Deepawali'.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has called the event "an occasion of joy, pride, and self-satisfaction for crores of Sanatan believers." He further declared the temple a future "Rashtra Mandir," embodying India's cultural, spiritual, and social unity. He has given instructions to make all necessary arrangements at the state government level to make the consecration ceremony unprecedented and unforgettable.
Taking a cue from the party's top brass, BJP leaders across the country are gearing up for the mega event with special plans.
And while the BJP is going all out to celebrate the occasion, the opposition bloc INDIA seems to be a divided lot. Most of the leaders of INDIA bloc are yet to open their cards. With Lok Sabha elections months away, they are in a dilemma. If they stay away, they will have to counter the BJP charge of being anti-Sanatan and if they do participate they fear playing into the BJP's hand and being drowned in saffron party's hype of fulfilling its years-old poll promise of constructing a grand Ram Mandir.
'Congress leaders speak in different voices'
With no clear signal from the top leadership, the Congress leaders have been speaking in different voices. Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge have got the invite for the ceremony, but they have yet to confirm their participation. Party leader Digvijaya Singh has said that she is "very positive on this matter" and either she will attend or send a delegation on her behalf.
While some Congress leaders are targeting the BJP over the hype created around the event, some others are happy that the temple has been constructed. Party leader Udit Raj slammed the BJP and said the saffron party didn't hold a copyright on the Lord.
"Who are they (Opposition) to invite opposition leaders to the event? Do they hold a copyright on Lord Ram? When questions are raised if RSS or BJP are inviting opposition leaders, they say they are not. They are saying that the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust is sending out invites for the event. Whose trust is this? Does it have nothing to do with the BJP?" he asked.
However, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said that he will attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony on January 22, even if he is not invited to the event by the temple trust.
"If the invitation comes or not, we shall go there; there is no second thought about attending the ceremony. We follow the path of Lord Ram. It should not be given a political colour," CM Sukhu said.
'Mixing politics and religion advances RSS agenda'
The CPM has made it clear that it will not attend the ceremony and has alleged that the mega celebrations in the presence of the Prime Minister is an attempt to combine religion with politics. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury is among the Opposition leaders invited to the event next year.
"Our party will not attend the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. We respect the religious sentiments of the people but they (BJP) are combining religion with politics. This is an attempt to politicise a religious programme. This is not right," said Brinda Karat, a member of the CPM's Politburo.
"Using religion as a political weapon or for advancing a political agenda is not right. It is not right what these people are doing, it's purely political," she said and added, "Politics and religion must be separated and kept at a distance. Mixing them only advances the RSS agenda. When religion is used is a political weapon or a tool to advance an idea or agenda, it loses respect."
'We don't believe in mixing politics with religion'
West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is also unlikely to attend the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, according to her party.
According to TMC sources, neither Banerjee nor any representative of the West Bengal government or the party will be present at the programme scheduled on January 22.
"There is no question of Mamata Banerjee or any other representative of the TMC attending the Ram Mandir inauguration at Ayodhya next month. We don't believe in mixing politics with religion," a senior party leader told news agency PTI.
'This is BJP's event'
The Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray has alleged that it is an event by the BJP, which the party would not want to attend.
" This is all politics, who wants to attend an event by the BJP? This is not a national event. This is BJP's program; this is BJP's rally. 'Usme pavitrata kahan hai?'...We will visit (Ayodhya) after BJP's program is over" UBT Sena MP Sanjay Raut said.
Taking a jibe at the Union government the UBT leader said "They have an advertising system according to which they work. They are extremely good at advertising things. Ayodhya Ram Mandir opening ceremony is a way to distract people of the country from real issues like unemployment, inflation, Kashmir, and Manipur."
Raut further added that the Shiv Sena has given blood for the Ram Mandir movement. Balasaheb Thackrey and thousands of Shiv saniks have contributed to it.
'Will go if God invites'
Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who has huge stakes in Uttar Pradesh politics, evaded a direct reply when asked about his participation and said "he will go if God invites him."
"This is the ceremony of Lord Ram. The BJP should not interfere in this programme. No one is bigger than the God. Those who are invited by the God will go there," Akhilesh said.
Suspense in Bihar
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has been invited to attend the Ram Temple event. However, there is no clarity if he will attend. The RJD of Lalu Prasad is also silent on participation, though it is not known if any one from the party has been invited. Lalu's elder son Tej Pratap when asked about the grand celebrations said "Lord Ram will come home only when the flag of INDIA alliance is hoisted at the Centre."
Meanwhile, a poster by a RJD MLA that spoke disparagingly of temples while extolling the virtues of education put the party on the backfoot. The poster, put up by RJD MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh close to one of the gates of 10, Circular Road, the government bungalow allotted to former chief minister Rabri Devi, calls upon party workers to turn up for a function held at his assembly constituency Dehri later this week, to mark the birth anniversary of social reformer Savitribai Phule. The poster also carried a saying of Phule, a rought translation of which equated temples with “mental slavery” and “superstitions and ignorance”.
'Who is BJP to decide on invitations?'
Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal has also not spoken on participation in the grand event.
However, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj lashed out at the BJP over invitation to the upcoming event. “Ram Temple belongs to the whole country. Who is the BJP to decide who to invite and who to leave out? People will go whenever they want to,” Bharadwaj said.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has said he will attend the inauguration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya if he is invited to the programme.
(With inputs from agencies)
English (US) ·