Priyanka hopes temple leads to ‘national unity, fraternity’

In a significant shift in her party’s stand on the Ram Mandir, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday expressed the hope that Wednesday’s bhumi pujan at Ayodhya will be an occasion for “national unity, fraternity and cultural congregation”. The Congress hasn’t been invited to the Ayodhya ceremony on Wednesday where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and over 100 VIPs are expected to be present.

After the Supreme Court’s verdict in November that a temple should be built on the disputed site in Ayodhya, the CWC passed a resolution that welcomed it. Congress chief spokesman Randeep

Surjewala had said then the party was in favour of temple construction.

On Tuesday, Ms Vadra, AICC general secretary in charge of UP, tweeted: “Simplicity, courage, restraint, sacrifice, commitment are the essence of the name Deenbandhu Rama. Ram is with everyone”.

“With the message and grace of Lord Ram and Mother Sita, the bhoomi pujan (will be) an occasion for national unity, fraternity and cultural congregation,” she added.

Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath said the temple construction is “with the consent of every Indian”. He also held a recital of the Hanuman Chalisa. Mr Nath noted it was former PM Rajiv Gandhi who paved the way for the temple construction in 1986.

Congress MP Manish Tewari posted several tweets on the bhoomi pujan, including a video message where he sang Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite Ram bhajans.