Karnataka minister and Congress leader KN Rajanna sparked controversy on Tuesday with his remarks about the idol of Lord Ram, alleging that the existing idol in the makeshift temple in Ayodhya is nothing more than a ‘doll in a tent.’
While addressing an event in Bengaluru, Rajanna accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of deceiving the public, claiming that the saffron party placed two ‘dolls’ in a tent after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and labelled them as Lord ‘Ram.’
“There are Ram temples with a history spanning thousands of years. But the BJP is building temples for elections. The BJP is cheating people… I had gone to Ayodhya when the Babri Masjid was demolished. Later, they kept two dolls in a tent and called them Ram,” Rajanna said.
“Back home, when we go to a Ram temple, we feel a certain vibration. In Ayodhya, I felt nothing,” he told ANI.
In response to the remarks, Chhattisgarh former Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo said that there is no need for such statements.
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“Lord Ram has been in the hearts of people for centuries. I feel that there is no need for such statements,” Congress senior leader Deo said while speaking to ANI.
Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Alok Kumar also slammed the minister, stating that such remarks arose from the “frustration” and “disappointment” of Congress leaders as they decided to skip the consecration ceremony.
The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony for Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayodhya is now just five days away, with Vedic rituals kicking off this week on Tuesday, January 16, paving the way for the grand culmination on January 22.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Ram Mandir. After the consecration, devotees will be allowed darshan of Ram Lalla and Sita Mata through designated darshan lines.