After the grand pran pratishtha (consecration) of the Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya, which witnessed the participation of numerous dignitaries, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stirred controversy with his statement, asserting, "We (Congress) worship Gandhi's Ram and not BJP's Ram."
Taking a critical stance against the BJP, Siddaramaiah contended that the saffron party is making efforts to separate Lord Ram from Seeta and Lakshman. He emphasized the inseparability of Lord Ram from Seeta and Lakshman, stating, "Without Lakshman and Sita, there is no Rama. Rama is omnipresent, not confined only to Ayodhya. His presence extends to the Sri Rama temple in his village, which was constructed by him." This commentary unfolded as he inaugurated statues of Rama, Seetha, Laxman, and Hanuman in Mahadevapura district.
Siddaramaiah further emphasized that Lord Rama is a deity for everyone and not exclusive to the BJP or Hindus alone. He asserted, "Lord Rama is God for everyone. He's not the BJP's God and the God of all Hindus. We are also disciples and devotees of Lord Ram," and hinted at a future visit to Ayodhya.
Regarding the Congress's decision to decline the invitation for the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony, Siddaramaiah clarified that it was in response to the perception that the mega-event was an RSS-BJP affair. Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and others, did not attend the event.
Siddaramaiah addressed the matter, stating, "They (BJP) are trying to portray that we are against Lord Ram, which is not correct. We are not against Lord Rama in Ayodhya. They are doing this for politics."
The pran pratishtha ceremony, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marked Lord Ram's homecoming after 500 years in Ayodhya.
