On BJP's attack over Ram temple issue, Mallikarjun Kharge says the faithful can visit Ayodhya any day
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said anyone having faith in Lord Ram can visit the Ayodhya temple any day and added the BJP was attacking his party over the decision to decline the invite to the January 22 consecration ceremony as part of «a conspiracy». The Congress has never hurt any religion or guru, he said, adding it will not fall for the BJP's diversionary tactic and will continue to raise people's issues such as inflation and unemployment.
Kharge and top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have «respectfully declined» the invitation to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony on January 22, accusing the BJP and the RSS of making it a «political project» for electoral gain.
The BJP has criticised the decision and dubbed the Congress «anti-Lord Ram».
To a question on the BJP's attack, Kharge told reporters here, «As far as attending the function, those who have faith (aastha) can go tomorrow or the day after. I have made it clear on January 6 itself.
It is not correct to attack us and this is a conspiracy of the BJP.»
He also said this is the reason why the BJP has been raising the issue again and again.
«We do not want to hurt anyone, any religion, any guru. This is not our issue.
Our only issue is what (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji has done for the people on unemployment, inflation, border issues and on the Chinese (intrusions) and what is their foreign policy.
»The poor who have been destroyed and are harassed...we are concerned about them and are asking him about them rather than this," the Congress president said.
In a post on X, Kharge said the Congress will not fall for the BJP's diversionary tactic and will not stop raising public issues.
