Sukhvinder Sukhu ready for Ayodhya visit sans invitation

Asserting “our life starts with the name of ‘Maryada Purushottam’ Lord Ram”, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said he does not need an invitation to go to Ayodhya. Sukhu, however, added that he would visit Ayodhya after the ‘pran pratistha’ ceremony.

“Lord Ram is ‘Maryada Purushottam’ and our life starts with the name of Ram. We would go to Ayodhya after the ‘pran pratistha’ ceremony,” he told the media here.

The chief minister’s remarks came a day after Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh said he will attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The public works department minister, who is the son of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh and state party chief Pratibha Singh, on Monday thanked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) for the invitation to attend Ram Lalla’s ‘pran pratistha’ ceremony.

“This is not a political issue and I consider myself fortunate to be among the few invitees from Himachal Pradesh and thanked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Vishva Hindu Parishad for giving this honour to me and my family,” Singh said.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of this historic day and as a Hindu having faith in ‘Dev Samaj’, it is my responsibility to be present on the occasion and witness the ‘Pran Pratistha’ of Lord Ram,” he added.

The minister made his stand clear even as top Congress leaders are yet to take a call on the January 22 event.

Earlier on Saturday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said he will take a decision “very soon” on whether he will attend the ceremony in Ayodhya.
Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have been invited for the ceremony.