Congress Flag Vandalised Near Ayodhya Ram Temple, Party Workers Abused

New Delhi: A violent confrontation erupted between Congress workers and unindentified men in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya on Monday, as the latter allegedly snatched and tore the Congress flag near the Ram Temple, news agency PTI reported. The Congress workers, who had arrived in Ayodhya to take a dip in the Saryu river on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, were also abused by some anti-social elements, according to a party leader.

Congress leader condemns the act

Ayodhya Congress Mahila in-charge Renu Rai condemned the incident and said that it was a shameful and condemnable act. She said that the temple belongs to everyone and that the Congress workers had come to Ayodhya to pay their respects. She also demanded action against the culprits.

#WATCH अयोध्या: कुछ लोगों को राम मंदिर के बाहर कांग्रेस का झंडा तोड़ते देखा गया। अजय राय और दीपेंद्र हुड्डा समेत कांग्रेस का एक प्रतिनिधिमंडल आज अयोध्या दौरे पर है। pic.twitter.com/G4pnGgknFJ — ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) January 15, 2024

“Some anti-social elements snatched our party flag and abused our party workers. This is a shameful and condemnable act. The temple ( Ram temple) belongs to everyone. We had come here to take a holy dip in the Saryu river and offer our prayers,” she said.

UP Congress chief also present in Ayodhya

UP Congress chief Ajay Rai was also present in Ayodhya with the party delegation. He said that the Congress workers had come to Ayodhya to celebrate Makar Sankranti and that they had no intention of creating any trouble.

“We have come here to celebrate Makar Sankranti and take a holy dip in the Saryu river. We have no intention of creating any trouble. We respect the sentiments of the people of Ayodhya and the Ram Temple,” he said.

Congress rejects invitation to Ram Temple opening

The clash comes at a time when the Congress and other opposition parties of the INDIA bloc have turned down the invitation to the grand opening of the Ram Temple on January 22, calling it a BJP-RSS event. They have also accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of “using” the Ram Temple for electoral gains in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Earlier this month, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declined the invitation to the Ram Temple opening, saying that they would not be part of a “political” event.

Ram Temple opening on January 22

The Ram Temple, which is being built at the site where the Babri Masjid once stood, will be opened to the public on January 22. The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the idol of Ram Lalla in the temple will be held on the same day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform the rituals to mark the pran pratishtha of the idol at the grand temple.

Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, a week before the main ceremony. The Ram Temple is expected to attract millions of devotees from across the country and the world.