Will congress leaders attend Ram Mandir Inauguration or make a pass? Shashi Tharoor takes a stand on the issue

A new issue has emerged regarding the presence of opposition leaders in the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony.

Bharat is getting ready for January 22, the day when the idol of Ram Lalla will finally be installed in the newly built Ram Mandir in all its glory. The nation has been waiting for this day for centuries and now the waiting can finally be ended.

Invited people

A long list of list of 7,000 people are invited to the Pran Pratishtha Samaroh on 22 January. Among these, 3,000 people are VVIPs. The Ram Mandir Trust has invited politicians, entertainers, and sportspersons as well.

Among the top invitees is Lal Krishna Advani who was at the forefront of the Babri masjid demolition movement which was an important part of the history of the Ram Mandir struggle. Dr Murl Manohar Joshi, another prominent leader who was one of the pioneers of the movement is invited. Their presence is doubted considering their age.

Congress leaders invited to inauguration

Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra has invited Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury are invited to the ceremony.

CPI(M) itaram Yechury has declined the invitation by saying "What is happening in this inauguration ceremony is that it has been converted into a state-sponsored event with the Prime Minister, UP CM and others holding Constitutional positions... This is a straightforward politicization of the religious beliefs of the people which is not in consonance with the Constitution. Therefore, in these circumstances, I regret not being able to attend the event." HD Deve Gowda has also been invited.

Film celebrities Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Anupam Kher, and Madhuri Dixit-Nene are expected to present at the ceremony.

Prominent personalities Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, and Gautam Adani as well as sports icons Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli may also attend the event.

Shashi Tharoor took a stance

Prominent Congress leader Sashi Tharoor was asked about his stance on the issue of attendance in the ceremony to which he said that attending a religious event should be an individual choice and not a political decision. "(There are attempts at) Putting the Congress leadership in a box and saying that if you go, that means you are playing into the hands of the BJP. If you don't go, that means you are anti-Hindu. Let the individuals make a reasonable choice. Going to a temple is an individual decision. Individuals have been invited, let them make their own decisions. To my mind, a temple is absolutely not a political stage, it is a place for people to contemplate the divine and do their prayers and it is a personal choice. Individuals have been invited and letting individuals decide if they wish to go is my stand."

He further said "In my mind, let individuals make their own decision, as it is a personal choice. If the party takes a collective decision, they will let us know, but right now, three or four members have been invited from the party, and they will certainly be making the decisions."

Also Read-Chief minister Yogi Adityanath to inspect Ram Temple site ahead of PM Modi’s arrival

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