Difficult to go to 'political function' designed around PM, RSS: Rahul on Ram Temple ceremony

NT Bureau, Agencies

Chiephobozou (Nagaland): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the Ram temple consecration event in Ayodhya has been made into a "Narendra Modi and RSS-BJP function" with an "election flavour", as he strongly defended the decision of his party's top leaders to decline the invite to the ceremony.

Gandhi also asserted that the Hindu dharma for him is a way of life and he tries to live by its principles, adding that those who "don't believe in it, need to wear it on their shirt".

"It is difficult for us to go to a political function which is designed around the PM and the RSS. We made it clear whoever would like to visit the Ram temple among our partners, among our parties is more than welcome to do so," he said.

The former Congress chief's remarks at a press conference during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra here came days after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi and the party's leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declined the invitation to the Ram temple consecration ceremony event on January 22 in Ayodhya.

See P8 At the press conference, Rahul Gandhi also asserted there is mutual respect and affection between the leaders of the INDIA bloc and "small problems" in the alliance will be resolved.

He expressed confidence that the seat-sharing issues will be ironed out and claimed that the coalition will defeat the BJP in this year's Lok Sabha polls.