Cong to go for temple run amid suspense over Kharge, Sonia’s presence at launch

Even as suspense looms over Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Sonia Gandhi attending the January 22 Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, the party has decided to go for a temple run with its general secretary incharge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande and state unit president Ajay Rai, along with some others, declaring their plan to have darshan of Ram Lalla at Ram Janmabhoomi on Makar Sankranti (January 15).
When asked, if the move is political, Avinash Pande on Sunday said: “No. We want to make it clear that there should be no doubt about our firm belief in Lord Ram. There is no one in the nation who doesn’t respect Lord Ram. Temple is being made today, but we went there whenever we got time even when temple was not there.”
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“The temple is being made on orders of the court. The Congress never opposed it neither stopped anyone from going there nor even compels anyone for doing the same. People are emotionally connected with it. I personally feel bad when we see politicisation of temple and polarisation in its name,” Pande said at a press conference at the UP Congress Committee headquarters on the second day of his maiden Lucknow visit after taking up his new assignment.
“Avinash Pandeji and Ajay Raiji will go to Ayodhya on January 15 soon after the end of Kharmas. Congress leaders will do Ram Lalla’s darshan…Kharmas is ending at 9.13 am on January 15 and at 9.15 am the Congress UP incharge Avinash Pande and UP Congress chief Ajay Rai will lead some Congress leaders to Ayodhya. They will first bathe in the Saryu river and then do darshan of Ram Lalla,” Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson CP Rai said.
Kharmas is considered inauspicious in the Hindu religion for activities like marriages, engagements, or starting a new business.
CP Rai also rubbished any political motive behind the visit and said: “India is the country of aastha (faith). Be it Ram, Krishna, Shiv, Devi, or any other deity, they are worshipped by 90% of people in the country. And it has been like this for centuries, nothing new in it… We all have been traditionally worshipping deities since childhood. Our UP chief Ajay Rai does puja everyday.”
“Political leaders should not trivialise religion by doing what Shankarcharyas are supposed to do. Since when have the netas started doing Pran Pratishtha and such religious ceremonies?” he asked.