SHOCKING! 10 Outrageous Excuses Given By Opposition Parties To Skip Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha

New Delhi: With only five days left for the grand Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya, political narratives continue to intensify, creating an unending stream of discussions and blame game. As the Nation anticipates the magnificent event on January 22, opposition parties, despite the historic occasion, have excuses ready for not attending. While millions of Ram devotees and activists eagerly await the culmination of a 500-year wait, opposition parties persistently work to undermine the significance of the Ram Mandir every day. Are all these excuses only to sully the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony? 

Excuse No 1 - Uddhav Thackeray to Visit Kalaram Temple 

Last week, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray made a significant announcement, declaring that his party would conduct a 'Maha Aarti' on the banks of the Godavari River at Nashik's Shree Kalaram Temple on January 22, coinciding with the Ayodhya temple consecration ceremony. The former Chief Minister of Maharashtra urged President Droupadi Murmu to be invited to perform the consecration ceremony, emphasising the event's importance for ‘national pride’. In a letter addressed to President Murmu, he extended an invitation for her participation in the Aarti at Kalaram Temple in Nashik on the same day.

Excuse No 2 - Kejriwal Attends AAP's Sunderkand Path, Undecided on Mandir

On Tuesday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accompanied by his wife, participated in the Suderkand Path program held at a temple in Rohini. Meanwhile, the party remains tight-lipped about its stance on attending the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony. In a proactive move, the AAP recently declared its decision to organise Suderkand Path programs across all assembly constituencies in Delhi every Tuesday, starting from this week. This initiative unfolds just days before the scheduled consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Responding to Kejriwal's participation, the BJP attributed it to political compulsion. BJP leader RP Singh remarked, "This is the same Arvind Kejriwal who said that his maternal grandmother has said that the (Ram) Temple should not be built there (in Ayodhya) if there was a mosque there. This is the same Kejriwal whose Deputy CM Manish Sisodia questioned the construction of the (Ram) temple (in Ayodhya). It (organizing 'Sundarkand Paths' in Delhi) is their political compulsion now," he told PTI.

Excuse No 3 - Mamata Plans 'Rally for Harmony' 

Following the decision of Left parties and Congress leadership to boycott the Ram Mandir inauguration, the political discourse surrounding the event intensifies with West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee declaring her decision to abstain from attending the ceremony.

Mamata Banerjee announced a 'Sampriti Michil' or 'rally for harmony' scheduled in Kolkata on January 22, coinciding with the Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony. Emphasizing her perspective, she stated, "It is not our job to do Pran Pratistha. It is the job of the priests. Our job is to create infrastructure." The procession will commence from the Hazra crossing in south Kolkata after offering obeisance to Goddess Kali at the Kalighat temple.

Banerjee outlined her schedule for January 22, including a visit to the Kalighat temple and participation in the harmony rally with people of all religions. The march is set to encompass places of worship from diverse religions, such as mosques, churches, and gurdwaras, before culminating at the Park Circus Maidan. Banerjee urged TMC party workers to organize similar rallies across all districts in the state.

"On January 22, I will visit the Kalighat temple and offer puja. Then I will take part in a harmony rally with people of all religions. This has nothing to do with any other programme," she said, addressing a press conference at the state secretariat.

The West Bengal CM also asked the TMC party workers to organise similar rallies in all the districts across the state. 

Excuse No 4 - Rahul Gandhi Calls Ram Mandir Inauguration 'Modi's function'

On Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has sparked a fresh controversy by politicising the upcoming ceremony and terming the event as ‘Modi ka Function (Modi’s function)'. “The RSS and the BJP have made the January 22 function a completely political Narendra Modi function. It's a RSS-BJP function and I think that is why the Congress President said that he would not go to the function. We are open to all religions, and all practices", said the Wayanad MP. His statement came days after the Congress high command decided not to attend the consecration event at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. 

Referring to the reports of '4 Shankaracharyas not attending the event’, Rahul said, "Even the biggest authorities of the Hindu religion have made their view public about what they think about the 22nd January function that it is political. So it is difficult for us to go to a political function which is designed around the Prime Minister of India and designed around the RSS...". 

This came days after senior Congress leaders - Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury - 'declined' the invitation to the 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22.

Excuse No 5 - Akhilesh Says Will Visit Ram Mandir After Inauguration

Last week, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed his gratitude to Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Ayodhya Temple Trust, for extending an invitation to the consecration ceremony on January 22. In his letter, Akhilesh conveyed his intention to visit the temple alongside his family following the inauguration event.

Excuse No 6 - JDU Says Nitish to Decide 

Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) national president Nitish Kumar, who received an invitation to attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla, will independently decide whether he will participate in the grand event in Ayodhya later this month, as stated by party leader KC Tyagi last week. The JD(U) leader mentioned that an official announcement regarding the decision would be forthcoming. 

Excuse No 7 - Sharad Pawar to Visit Ayodhya After Jan 22

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar said that he will visit Ayodhya for Ram Lalla darshan after the Pran Pratishtha event and once the construction is complete."I'm very happy to receive the invitation for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony to be held in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024. Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram' is a symbol of worship and devotion of crores of devotees in and across India. The devotees across the country are excited about the ceremony and are reaching the temple in large numbers. The joy of the historic celebrations will reach me through them. The darshan of Shri Ram Lalla can be done peacefully and with devotion after the ceremonies are over on January 22. I have a scheduled visit to Ayodhya, and at that time I will have the darshan of Shri Ram Lalla, by then the construction of the temple will also be completed", Pawar said in a letter to Champat Rai. 

Excuse No 8 - Lalu Yadav Turns Down Invitation to Attend ‘Pran Pratishtha’

Without giving any reason, RJD supremo and former Bihar CM Lalu Yadav has decided not to participate in the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The 75-year-old veteran politician is among several opposition figures who have chosen to abstain from attending the 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Lalu Yadav's absence adds to the notable list of opposition leaders who have opted not to be part of this ceremony.   

Excuse No 9 - Left Calls Event Political, Announces Boycott

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has opted not to attend the Ram Temple inauguration event in Ayodhya, with the party citing the politicisation of religious beliefs as the grounds for declining the invitation. Yechury stressed on the personal nature of religion, stating, “Religion is a personal choice of every individual. We respect and safeguard the right of every individual to choose their particular form of faith.” "As far as the Indian Constitution and the Supreme Court are concerned, they have very clearly said that the state shall not profess any particular religion or have any religious affiliation. What is happening in this inauguration ceremony is that it has been converted into a state-sponsored event with the Prime Minister, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and others holding Constitutional positions," he explained.

Excuse No 10 - Sankaracharyas Skipping The Event

Both Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress have criticised the ruling BJP government in light of the decision by four Shankaracharyas to refrain from visiting Ayodhya for the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Temple. Finding common ground on the notion that the temple is incomplete and, according to religious leaders, cannot be consecrated, the opposition parties have raised concerns. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi posed a question, stating, “It is a matter of our devotion and I won't do any politics over this. But there is one question, there are four Shankaracharyas in the country and they too have said that they won't participate in the ceremony. Are they too wrong?...”

Congress Calls Ram Mandir A Political Project

The Congress announced that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, former leader Sonia Gandhi, and Lok Sabha floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury would not be present at the Ram Temple consecration ceremony on January 22. The party labeled it as an ‘RSS/BJP event’, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have turned the event into a political project for electoral gains. The decision triggered a political controversy, with the BJP accusing the principal opposition party of opposing Lord Ram and the faith of millions of people.