The opposition party can still reconsider its decision and accept the invitation, he said (File)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday said the Congress will have to apologise to the people for the "sin" of declining the invitation to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
The party has "hurt the sentiments of the majority community of the country" by turning down the invitation, he said at a public event here.
"For this, the Congress will definitely have to apologise," he added.
The decision showed the party's arrogance, Mr Yadav alleged.
Countries like Mauritius have declared a holiday for the Ram devotees so that they can watch the ceremony, he said.
"The invitation for the Ram temple 'pran pratishtha' ceremony was extended to the Congress with generosity. The people who invited them also knew that the Congress always complicated the Ram temple construction issue and put obstacles in its way many times by submitting affidavits in the court," the chief minister said.
The opposition party can still reconsider its decision and accept the invitation, Mr Yadav added.
January 22 will be celebrated like Diwali in the state, he said.
The original Ram temple in Ayodhya, built by Ujjain's emperor Vikramaditya 2,000 years ago, was demolished by "terrorists" who arrived 500 years ago, Yadav said.
"Babur did not become a king or emperor. A small group of terrorists came and later took over our country," he said.
During his visit here, Mr Yadav inaugurated a replica of the Ram temple constructed by the Indore Municipal Corporation by using 21 tonnes of iron scrap at Vishram Bagh.
Earlier, he laid the foundation stone for an elevated corridor from LIG square to Navlakha square, to be constructed at the cost of Rs 350 crore.
The corridor will ease traffic congestion on AB Road, one of the busiest thoroughfares in the city. The construction is expected to be completed in two years.
The chief minister also took part in a road show from Bada Ganpati square to Rajbada as part of the BJP's `Jan Abhar Yatra'.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)