Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the January 2024 consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, alleging that the event was organised in a hurry for political gains ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Her remarks, published in her memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love, have reignited the political debate surrounding the historic temple ceremony.
In her book, Sonia Gandhi claims that the Ram Temple was far from complete when the Pran Pratishtha ceremony took place on January 22, 2024. Despite the incomplete construction, she alleges that the government went ahead with a grand inauguration rather than waiting for the entire temple complex to be finished.
She also questions the Prime Minister's decision to personally lead the religious rituals during the ceremony. According to her account, senior religious leaders, particularly the Shankaracharyas, had raised objections to conducting the consecration before the temple's construction was completed. However, their concerns were allegedly overlooked.
Sonia described the event as a political spectacle that was broadcast live across the country. She wrote that the rituals were led by the Prime Minister himself, with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief alongside him. She questioned why the religious ceremony was given such a prominent political character instead of allowing traditional religious authorities to take the leading role.
The Congress leader also connected the Ram Temple movement with the political rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In her memoir, she argues that the temple issue has remained central to the BJP's political journey for nearly three decades. She further alleges that the ruling party wanted to use the emotional significance of the temple among Hindu voters to strengthen its electoral position before the 2024 general elections.
The controversy surrounding the ceremony was already visible before the inauguration. Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati and Jyotirmath Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand had questioned the decision to hold the consecration before the temple was fully constructed. Both religious leaders declined to attend the event.
Sonia Gandhi's comments have also drawn attention because of her recent remarks about the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid. Recalling the incident, she said that watching the demolition on television had deeply affected her and strengthened her commitment to defending India's secular character.
The BJP has strongly criticised Sonia's remarks, accusing the Congress leadership of questioning the religious significance of the Ram Temple.
The exchange has once again brought the relationship between religion and electoral politics into the national spotlight. While the Ram Temple remains a matter of deep religious significance for millions of devotees, Sonia Gandhi's memoir has reopened questions about the political messaging and timing of its consecration.
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