Kohima, Jan 16: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22 is “an election and political function” and that’s why the Congress has decided to skip the event in Ayodhya.
On the third day of his ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY) which has now reached Nagaland, the Congress leader said that the event in Ayodhya is a political one as it is an RSS-BJP function.
“It is difficult for us (Congress) to attend the January 22 function because it is Modi’s function. They (BJP) always give election flavour to all events and developments, including religious ones. We respect all religions and all religions are the same to us,” Gandhi told the media.
He said that top Hindu religious leaders were also questioning the January 22 function as it has been mixed with politics and the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Asked about the ideology of the INDIA bloc, Rahul Gandhi said, “We do not want a divided India. We want a united India with no hatred. Dalit and other Backward Classes would also not be neglected. Their role in governance would get due importance.”