On Wednesday, the Congress declined the invitation to attend the 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony for Lord Ram's idol and the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, characterizing it as an "RSS-BJP event" and asserting that the temple had been transformed into a "political project." This refusal prompted a contentious exchange between the Congress and the BJP, with the latter accusing the former of being "anti-Hindu."
In response to the Congress' decision, Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma shared an old photo of Rahul Gandhi visiting Babur's Tomb in Afghanistan in 2005, emphasizing the multiple generations of the Gandhi family who had visited the site. He questioned, "Why is there so much hatred for Ram Lala? Why do you hate Hindus so much?" expressing dissatisfaction with the Congress' stance on not attending the Ram Temple inauguration and idol consecration ceremony.
As the political discourse intensified, Congress leaders raised concerns about the politicization of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony. Defending the party's decision, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi argued that visiting a temple or mosque is a matter of personal devotion, and he criticized the BJP for politicizing people's religious sentiments. He deemed the BJP's approach of politicizing devotion as "disgusting politics."
