Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lead the controversial ‘pran pratishtha,’ or consecration ceremony, for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Monday, just weeks before the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The event, promoted by the ruling BJP as the “fulfillment of a divine dream,” is accompanied by significant infrastructure projects in and around Ayodhya, including a new airport and a refurbished railway station.
The guest list for the grand Ram Temple ceremony reportedly exceeds 10,000, but it is notably exclusive, excluding all BJP chief ministers except Yogi Adityanath, the leader of Uttar Pradesh where the temple is under construction. Despite its exclusivity, the guest list includes senior opposition leaders such as Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, though they have opted not to attend.
The opposition, collectively part of the INDIA bloc, has criticized the BJP for politicizing a religious event. Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, has declined the invitation, emphasizing that religion is a personal matter. In response, the opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi, plan to headline their events on January 22.
Mamata Banerjee intends to visit the Kalighat temple near Kolkata on January 22, followed by a “communal harmony rally” that will include participants from various communities and visit places of worship, concluding with a meeting at Park Circus Maidan in south Kolkata.
Rahul Gandhi, as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, will be in Assam on January 22 and is scheduled to visit a temple during the day’s activities. Sharad Pawar and Akhilesh Yadav have expressed gratitude for the invitation but will not attend, with Pawar subtly criticizing the BJP’s timing.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has not been invited but has announced ‘Sundar Kand’ and ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ programs across the national capital, seeking Lord Ram’s blessings.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, not invited to the ceremony, plans to visit the Kalaram Temple in Nashik on January 22 and perform a “maha aarti.”
The opposition’s response underscores the delicate balance between acknowledging the Ram Temple event and avoiding association with the BJP’s political agenda. Meanwhile, in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s BJD has invested over ₹4,000 crore in the unveiling of the Jagannath Heritage Corridor to boost religious sentiments and counter the BJP’s influence in the state. The Ram Temple, still under construction, is expected to play a central role in the BJP’s campaign for the upcoming general election.
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