"All Should Visit": Shiv Sena encourages attendance at Ayodhya's Ram temple event

In the lead-up to the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut urged invitees to attend the event, emphasizing that the significance of Lord Ram extends beyond political affiliations.

Raut asserted that the invitation is not exclusive to any particular party, stating, "Ram is not a private property of Bharatiya Janata Party. Ram belongs to everyone. Those who have been invited and even those who haven't, all should visit." Raut's comments come in response to the Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who declined the invitation, labeling it a "RSS/BJP event."

The Congress, in a statement, reiterated its stance on the Ram temple consecration ceremony, characterizing it as a political move by the RSS/BJP for electoral gain. Despite acknowledging the Supreme Court's 2019 judgment and respecting the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, the party leaders chose not to attend the event.

In contrast, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray extended an invitation to President Droupadi Murmu for a pooja at the Kalaram temple in Nashik on the same day. Thackeray outlined the Shiv Sena's plans, including an aarti of the Godavari river and a rally of party workers in Nashik.