Opposition leaders strongly pushed back against invitation to PM Narendra Modi to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Modi was invited to place Lord Ram’s idol in the temple on January 22, 2024 by the temple committee. He felt ‘blessed’ and accepted the invitation.
Congress’ Salman Khurshid asked if the event was exclusively for BJP. ‘God belongs to everyone. Every party should be invited,' he wrote.
Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut accused the BJP of using the temple for political gains as Lok Sabha elections near.
‘Does the Ram Mandir belong to the BJP? It belongs to everyone in our country’, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath asked.
Congress’ Adhir Chowdhury said PM Modi is ‘dividing the country on the basis of religion.’ He added, ‘Ram Mandir has no connection with politics.’
Construction authorities said ground floor of the Ram Mandir will be ready by December. However, it is unclear when devotees will be allowed to visit.