In a strong pushback against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s criticism of its leadership for declining the invitation to attend consecration of Lord Ram’s idol at Ayodhya on January 22, the Congress on January 12 asserted that it was not a religious but a political programme.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, the party’s media and publicity chief Pawan Khera and head of social media wing, Supriya Shrinate, pointed out that the Sankaracharayas of four maths/peeth (monasteries) too declined to take part in the pran pratishtha (consecration ceremony) of Lord Ram’s idol as it was being not done as per proper Hindu tradition.
“Is this a religious event? Is the pran pratishtha taking place under the supervision of the Sankaracharyas? All the four Sankaracharyas and the four peeths have said that consecration cannot take place in an incomplete temple. If this is not a religious event, then it’s a political one,” Mr. Khera alleged.
