"Like Nehru": Himanta Sarma Slams Congress Over No To Ram Temple Invite

The Congress was given an opportunity to "atone for its sins", but by declining the invitation to attend the Ram Temple opening ceremony in Ayodhya, history will judge the party as "anti-Hindu", declared Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday.

Terming religion a personal matter and calling the Ram Temple a "political project" of the BJP, the Congress on Wednesday declined to attend the grand event planned for January 22 in Ayodhya.

For the BJP, which accuses the Congress of playing to minority sentiments, the no is like a political lottery.

''This tradition (opposing the Hindu community) was started by Pandit (Jawaharlal) Nehru when he boycotted the Somnath Temple function in (May 1951). The same tradition is continuing with the present generation of the Congress... What Pandit Nehru did with the Somnath Temple, the Congress leadership is doing with the Ram Temple.

"'Congress will continue to be considered an anti-Hindu party for years and decades to come. I feel pity and sad for them as one does not have to be anti-Muslim to respect the Hindu civilisation,'' Mr Sarma said at a press conference.

The Congress has all along fought against the Hindu community and did not deserve the invitation for its views on the Ram temple since the beginning, he said.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad "knowingly or unknowingly" gave an opportunity to the Congress for the "reparation of some of its sins" against the Hindu community by extending to its leadership the invitation to the consecration ceremony, he further said.

"The Congress got a golden opportunity to atone for its sins - both against the Hindu community and civilisation. But by not accepting the invitation, it has missed the bus again,'' Mr Sarma said.

Several Opposition parties, including the Left and Trinamool Congress, have made it clear that they would skip the event as well. The Samajwadi Party is undecided. Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena UBT is yet to get an invite.

The Chief Minister said that the Pran Pratishtha Mahotsav (consecration) of the temple will be an "important civilisational landmark" for the country.

''We do not want to celebrate this historic event in a manner that may disturb people belonging to other communities ... In Assam we want to celebrate it along with our Muslim and Christian brethren. We do not want to symbolise that day with negativity. We will celebrate on January 22 with a lot of positivity in mind,'' he said.

The January 22 inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attended by political leaders, industrialists, actors and other prominent personalities.