Cong Maintains Silence On Attendance At Ram Temple Ceremony: 'You Will Know On January 22,' Says Venugopal

The Congress expressed gratitude on Thursday for receiving invitations from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. However, the party has not yet revealed whether its top leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, and leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, will attend the event. Sources suggest that the senior Congress leaders may not be present at the ceremony, according to PTI.

During a press conference, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal confirmed the receipt of invitations, stating, "They have invited us, we are very much thankful to them for inviting us, let us (see)." When asked about the party's stance on attendance, Venugopal remarked, "You will know about the party's stand. You will know on January 22 about the participation."

The invitations were individually extended to Kharge, Gandhi, and Chowdhury. Reports indicate that Gandhi and Kharge received their invitations from a delegation associated with the Ram Temple construction, including Nripendra Mishra.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the installation of the idol of Ram Lalla at the grand temple. Post-consecration, Mandal Puja will take place for 48 days starting from January 24, with public darshan of Ram Lalla accessible from January 23. Invitations have been extended to various dignitaries, including former president Pratibha Patil, former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda, and heads of political parties. Notably, chief ministers and governors are not included in the invitee list.

The event is set to host heads of major temples, representatives from religious and constitutional institutions, spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama and Mata Amritanandamayi, along with notable figures from various fields such as actors Rajnikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, and industrialists like Mukesh Ambani. Additionally, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad extended invitations to BJP stalwarts LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, key figures in the 1990 Rath Yatra, despite earlier reports suggesting they were requested not to attend due to their advanced age. The two veterans have expressed their intent to make every effort to participate in the January 22 event. Alok Kumar, the president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, confirmed the invitations, stating that the pioneers of the Ram Mandir movement had been invited to the consecration ceremony. The event is expected to see the participation of 4,000 saints, including those from 13 Akharas, and 2,200 other dignitaries.