NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday defended the party’s decision to “respectfully decline” the invitation to the consecration ceremony of Ram temple.
Jairam added that Pran Pratishtha of Ram lalla in Ayodhya was a “political” event for “a political person”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had led the rituals at the Pran Pratishtha at the grand Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya.
During an interview with ANI, Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary, criticized the BJP for what he termed as the “politicization of religion,” and said that it undermines both religion and politics.
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said they are “vyapari (traders) of Ram” while Congress members were “pujari (worshippers)” of the deity.
“The January 22 celebration was political. It was done for a political person. We are the worshipers of Ram and they (BJP) are traders of Ram. Interestingly, it is my birthday today. My name is -Jairam Ramesh – both parts of my name have ‘Ram’. No one can call us anti-Ram. The politicization of religion brings down religion and politics as well,” Jairam Ramesh said.
Jairam was questioned about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments made during his Lok Sabha election rally in Chhattisgarh, where he criticized the Congress for declining an invitation to the Pran Pratishtha event. PM Modi further accused the Congress of taking action against individuals who opposed the party’s position.
In January, the Congress party released a statement declining the invitation for its senior leaders to attend the Pran Pratishtha event in Ayodhya, asserting that it was “clearly an RSS/BJP event.”
“While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event,” the party had said in a statement.
The Pran Pratishtha ceremony was held on January 22 this year.
(With agency inputs)
Jairam added that Pran Pratishtha of Ram lalla in Ayodhya was a “political” event for “a political person”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had led the rituals at the Pran Pratishtha at the grand Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya.
During an interview with ANI, Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary, criticized the BJP for what he termed as the “politicization of religion,” and said that it undermines both religion and politics.
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said they are “vyapari (traders) of Ram” while Congress members were “pujari (worshippers)” of the deity.
“The January 22 celebration was political. It was done for a political person. We are the worshipers of Ram and they (BJP) are traders of Ram. Interestingly, it is my birthday today. My name is -Jairam Ramesh – both parts of my name have ‘Ram’. No one can call us anti-Ram. The politicization of religion brings down religion and politics as well,” Jairam Ramesh said.
Jairam was questioned about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments made during his Lok Sabha election rally in Chhattisgarh, where he criticized the Congress for declining an invitation to the Pran Pratishtha event. PM Modi further accused the Congress of taking action against individuals who opposed the party’s position.
In January, the Congress party released a statement declining the invitation for its senior leaders to attend the Pran Pratishtha event in Ayodhya, asserting that it was “clearly an RSS/BJP event.”
“While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event,” the party had said in a statement.
The Pran Pratishtha ceremony was held on January 22 this year.
(With agency inputs)