Ram Temple ceremony not for 'electoral gains': Union Minister Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad, Jan 14 (PTI) Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said the Ram Temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya on January 22 is a spiritual programme and not being done for "electoral gains".

Speaking to reporters here, Reddy, who is also Telangana BJP president, said, "The whole country, including the Muslims are awaiting this moment. So this is not a party programme. Not only from this country but Hindus from across the world are looking forward to this programme. This event is not for any elections (gains)." The Congress had recently announced that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, its ex-president Sonia Gandhi and its leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have "respectfully declined" the invitation to attend the ceremony.

The opposition party also alleged that the event has been made into a "political project" by the BJP and the RSS for "electoral gain." The union minister said, "This is a result of 550 years of struggle. Several wars were fought. Many people sacrificed their lives and were martyred." The consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya is the largest spiritual programme after Independence and it is not fair to link this with a party.

He said Sonia Gandhi, who was given an invitation, can come and offer 'seva'.

The union minister said the BJP had nothing to do with this event. As devotees of Lord Ram, our party leaders and cadres will participate in the programme.

"We (BJP) earlier organised a yatra for the temple. You (Congress) are pseudo-secularists. You are undertaking false propaganda for the sake of vote bank politics", Reddy alleged.

The consecration ceremony will take place on January 22, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other dignitaries. PTI