While the official stance of the opposition leaders is rooted in political considerations, an undercurrent of apprehension is palpable. The concern among them is that their decision to skip the Ayodhya event might inadvertently project a negative image among the majority Hindu population.
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Despite their collective decision to abstain from the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, opposition leaders are keen on safeguarding their public image. Fearing potential repercussions and to avoid an anti-Hindu portrayal, many opposition figures have strategically included religious rituals in their schedules for that day.
While the official stance of the opposition leaders is rooted in political considerations, an undercurrent of apprehension is palpable. The concern among them is that their decision to skip the Ayodhya event might inadvertently project a negative image among the majority Hindu population. To counter this, numerous opposition leaders have planned religious engagements on January 22.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, choosing to be in Assam on that day, will seek refuge in Shankar Dev’s teachings. Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress chief, will conduct religious rituals in Kolkata at the temple of Kali Mata. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, while steering clear of Ayodhya, will be engrossed in a Sunderkand recital in the capital.
Former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena chief, Uddhav Thackeray, will perform Maha Aarti on the banks of Godavari in Nashik. The significance of this move, he stated, is in alignment with the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22. Sources also suggest that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will partake in religious programmes on the same day.
The collective message from the opposition seems clear: while distancing themselves from the Ayodhya event, they are keen to affirm their alignment with Hindu sentiments. This strategic involvement in religious rituals is seen as an attempt to convey opposition to the politics of the saffron brigade, emphasising their stance against the perceived manipulation of religion for political gains.
