Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday lashed out at the Congress party after the top brass of the party decided to boycott the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya to be held on January 22, 2024.
The chief minister during a press conference here at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati said, “The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) knowingly or unknowingly had given the Congress party a golden opportunity to reduce some of their sins because they have all along fought against the Hindu community and the Hindu civilization. But by not accepting the invitation, they have missed a golden opportunity. For years to come, for decades to come, Congress will continue to be an anti-Hindu party. You don’t have to be anti-Muslim, but should not be anti-Hindu. This tradition was started by former Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru by boycotting the Somnath Temple function. The same tradition is followed by the present generation of the Congress leaders. In my view, they did not deserve such an invitation at the first place for their views against the Ram Mandir from the very beginning. Since they have missed the bus, I am now feeling pity and sad for them.”
It may be mentioned that last month, the Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury received an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya to be held on January 22, 2024.
Later refusing to attend the inauguration ceremony, the Congress party in a statement said, “Lord Ram is worshipped by millions in our country. Religion is a personal matter. But the RSS/BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya. The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain. While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event.”
Meanwhile, the state chief minister further mentioned that Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram Mandir is an important civilizational landmark for the entire country including Assam.
“The first Ramayana in prose was done by an Assamese person. Assam has had a close relationship with the state of civilization from the time of the Ramayana. Thus, Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram Mandir is a significant national landmark for civilization. We don't want to commemorate the occasion in a way that might annoy or somewhat offend the other communities. On January 22, 2024, we in Assam want to commemorate this momentous day alongside our Muslim and Christian brethren,” added CM Sarma.
