Gayawal Pandas community members light earthen lamps to celebrate the ground breaking ceremony of the Ram Temple, in Ayodhya, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI
The Congress seemed to be in a conundrum as the bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir took place in Ayodhya. Many leaders from the party voiced congratulations but some were befuddled about what their response should be.
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'Respect for all faiths'
Mathew Antony, acting president of All India Professionals Congress (AIPC), Maharashtra, claimed, "There is no confusion, instead we have absolute clarity. This is a Supreme Court verdict, which is not disputed. The Congress is secular in its values and at the same time, it is not distant from any religion. We have respect for every faith and its practice." Antony added, "Shri Ram's ruling stood for peace, prosperity, equity, happiness and unity of all." The AIPC acting president said that propaganda was always "played against the Congress by others. It is the ruling party that is uncomfortable today because the Congress is showing its secular credentials without any ambiguity and with equal respect towards all faiths. This is certainly not the BJP victory. The issue has been resolved by the Supreme Court, and we respect its verdict and execution."
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'Why such negative attitude?'
BJP senior leader Kirit Somaiya said, "Yesterday was one of the happiest days of my life. A major commitment in my political career, of the Ram Rajya, has been achieved."
Somaiya slammed critics questioning the Bhoomi Pujan, building of the Mandir and so-called divisive politics by the BJP by saying, "This is nonsense and a lot of pseudo-intellectual posturing is on, that too, at a time when 85 per cent of this country believes in Lord Ram. Why have such a negative attitude?"
He also compared the proud moment to the inauguration of the reconstructed Somnath temple in the presence of then president Rajendra Prasad in the 1950s, and said, "Seventy years later, I am proud to witness something similar."
Somaiya added, "Last year, we also had the abrogation of Article 370 with reference to Jammu and Kashmir, and now we have this. These are such challenging times for the world and the nation too, but this day shows us that there is commitment, fulfilment of promises and achievement, brightness and lights amidst the darkness of the pandemic."
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