In what seems to be a major war of words that has struck over Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said, "Our party will not attend the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. We respect the religious beliefs but they are connecting a religious programme with politics. This is the politicization of a religious programme. This is not right."
This comes two days after CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury declined the invitation to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 next year.
Reacting on Yechury's comments, the Vishva Hindu Parishad National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal hit out at Yechury.
Taking to X (formerly known as twitter), Bansal said, "There are reports that those whose name is Sitaram will not go to Ayodhya Dham!! Political opposition is understandable, but if someone has so much hatred for his own name, he can only be a communist! Whether the hatred is towards Ram or towards one's own name, it has to be told...!!"
''No need to participate in show''
Meanwhile.. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has said that Lord Ram is in his heart and he does not need to engage in any show, the statement came when Sibal was asked if he intends to attend the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya scheduled on January 22.
"I have Ram in my heart. I don't need to show off. What I say to you is from my heart because I do not care about all these things. If Ram is in my heart and Ram has guided me throughout my journey, it means that I have done something right," Sibal said speaking to ANI on Monday.
Kapil Sibal calls it a "show-off"
The former Congress leader said that the whole Ram Mandir construction issue is a "show-off" because the ruling party's behaviour, character are nowehere similar to Ram.
Top Opposition leaders invited
Among top opposition leaders, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Khshetra Trust has invited Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the party's leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda, and heads of political parties including Aam Aadmi Party's Arvind Kejriwal, and BSP leader Mayawati are also understood to have been invited to attend.
