Jaipur: A day after Congress declined the invitation to Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration ceremony on January 22, BJP Civil Lines MLA Gopal Sharma said it was normal for the 'demons' to stay away from Lord Ram's worship.
Referring to 'Hanuman Chalisa', Sharma said it is written that ghosts and vampires do not come near when Lord Mahavir's name is being recited. He said, "Since demons do not come when Lord Ram is being worshipped, it is only natural for the Congress leaders to avoid the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony. How can people associated with the Rakshas Raj come?"
Justifying the grand old party's decision of declining the consecration ceremony invitation, the BJP leader said that Congress has always denied the existence of Lord Ram. He said that former West Bengal Chief Minister Siddharth Shankar Ray, a Congress leader had fought on behalf of Babri Masjid Action Committee and so the party leaders are not attending the Ram Mandir inauguration on moral ground.
It may be recalled that Ray, who seldom attended the court proceedings, had appeared for the All India Muslim Personal Law Board in the Babri Masjid Title Suit. His last appearance was in April 2007 before the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court and he did not take any money for contesting the case.
On Wednesday, Congress said that it has declined the inaugural ceremony invitation as it is an RSS/BJP event. In a statement from senior leader Jairam Ramesh, the party stated that all their leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who received the invitation, have declined.
The party further said that the Ram Mandir issue has been made a political matter by the RSS/BJP and the inauguration is aimed at political gain.
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