Religion a personal choice: Yechury turns down invite to attend Ram temple inauguration
It was "most unfortunate" that the BJP and RSS have turned a religious ceremony into a state-sponsored event involving PM, UP CM and other government functionaries, said the CPI(M)
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury will not attend the inauguration of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying religion is a personal choice and should be kept away from politics.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) said on X that Yechury will not attend the ceremony despite an invite to do so. The post said: "The CPI(M) policy has been to respect religious beliefs and safeguarding the right of every individual to pursue their belief."
Further, the party added: “It believes that religion is a personal choice not to be converted into an instrument for political gain. Therefore, we will not be attending the ceremony.”
The CPI(M) said it was "most unfortunate" that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have turned a religious ceremony into a state-sponsored event involving the prime minister, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and other government functionaries.
Marxist critique
"A fundamental principle of governance in India as reiterated by the Supreme Court is that the State in India, under the constitution, should have no religious affiliation,” it said.
“This is being violated by the ruling regime in the organisation of the event," the party pointed out.
The Ram temple will be inaugurated on January 22, with PM Modi, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and more than 6,000 people expected to attend the ceremony.
(With agency inputs)