As the Pran Pratishtha ceremony for Ram Lala at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple approaches on January 22, Deepa Das Munshi, AICC in-charge of Telangana, underlines that temples are centers of faith rather than politics. When asked about the Congress party’s involvement in the Ayodhya Ram Temple inauguration, Munshi restated the party’s position, noting that the decision had previously been expressed by the AICC.
Munshi remarked, “The decision has already been conveyed by the AICC, so I have nothing to say beyond that.” Addressing the criticism from the BJP for declining the invitation, she underlined the personal nature of temple visits, stating, “Whoever will go to a temple, it is in our faith. We don’t go to a temple for political reasons; we go to a temple for our faith. So we are very clear about this.”
Despite senior Congress leaders declining the invitation, some UP Congress members visited Ayodhya after the controversy. Congress leaders, including UP Chief Ajay Rai, paid respects at Ayodhya’s temples, emphasizing that Lord Ram belongs to everyone. However, the BJP accused the Congress of a ‘dual character,’ highlighting the rejection of the invitation by senior leaders while some members visited Ayodhya.
In response to Congress’s stand, UP Deputy CM and BJP leader KP Maurya remarked, “People are seeing the dual character of Congress today.” The Congress party justified the decline, citing the personal nature of religion and accusing the BJP and RSS of politicizing the Ayodhya temple project for electoral gain.