There is a Pran Pratishtha program at Ram temple in Ayodhya on 22 January. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending this program as the chief guest.
For this, he has started an 11-day ritual from today. Leaders of many parties have also been invited to participate in this program.
However, Congress Party National President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi have distanced themselves from it, calling it an event organized by BJP and RSS. The political war of words continues over the invitation to consecrate the statue of Ram Lalla.
Many BJP leaders will participate in this grand program. They include stalwarts like Lal Krishna Advani, who laid the foundation of the Ram Mandir movement.
Apart from him, leaders of other political parties, veterans of film and television industries, industry, sports personalities as well as saints and scholars have also been invited.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has also received a formal invitation to the function. He said that it was his good fortune to be a part of such a grand occasion.
RSS workers had started a door-to-door public contact program across the country on January 1.
The RSS had discussed this in a three-day meeting of its national executive in Bhuj in Gujarat’s Kutch district in November last year. There are plans to inaugurate the Ram temple in Ayodhya and make this event a big success.
PM Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ready to deliver a speech in this grand event. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is a mandatory invitee of this program. He has been overseeing its preparations for a long time.
JP Nadda: VHP chief Alok Kumar said that VHP has invited the BJP president like the presidents of all other parties.
Lal Krishna Advani: VHP said that veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani will attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Advani who was at the forefront of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the 1980s and early 1990s. He said that if necessary we will make special arrangements for them.
Eknath Shinde: RSS and VHP have also invited Maharashtra CM to attend the function. Shinde has accepted the invitation and expressed happiness over the realization of the dreams of Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray and former patriarch Anand Dighe in the form of a grand temple in Ayodhya.
Vikramaditya Singh: The Himachal Pradesh minister and Congress leader said he would attend the function. He is the son of former CM Virbhadra Singh and state party chief Pratibha Singh. Thanked RSS and VHP for the invitation.
Who will be included in Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha and who will not:
Murli Manohar Joshi: It is not clear whether veteran BJP leaders will attend the function or not. He has told VHP that he will try to participate in this program. Joshi is one of the founding members of BJP.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: Congress leaders have declined the invitation to attend the function. Top leaders of the VHP and the Ram Mandir Trust had personally met Kharge, Gandhi and Chaudhary last month to hand over the invitations.
Sharad Pawar: The NCP president said that he has not been invited. Taking aim at the BJP, he said it was difficult to understand whether the party was using the issue for political or commercial purposes. He said, “Don’t know whether BJP is using this issue for political or commercial purposes. We are happy that the temple is being built for which many people have contributed.”
Mamata Banerjee and TMC: It is not clear whether the TMC president has received an invitation for the function or not. Mamata Banerjee had earlier alleged that the BJP was doing gimmicks through the inauguration before the Lok Sabha elections.
Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party: Opposition alliance member Akhilesh Yadav said he and his party would not attend the event as the BJP government was against minorities. He said religion cannot be a part of politics and accused BJP of hiding behind religion. When asked about attending the event, he said, “How can BJP decide who to invite and who not? This does not mean the call of Lord Shri Ram, it is the call of BJP.”
CPI(M): Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury has declined the invitation. He said that religion is a personal choice. “Our policy is to respect religious beliefs and the right of every individual to pursue their faith,” he said. Religion is a matter of personal choice. It should not be turned into a means of political gain.
Shiv Sena (UBT) and Uddhav Thackeray: Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) will not attend the function saying it is a BJP dominated event. Thackeray has not received the invitation yet. He said he and his party leaders would visit Kalaram Temple in Nashik that day and perform Maha Aarti on the Godavari river banks.
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