While most opposition parties welcome Ayodhya bhumi pujan, some question its timing

NEW DELHI: Most non-Congress opposition parties too welcomed the bhumi pujan ceremony at Ayodhya. Left parties, however, questioned the ‘active roles’ of the Centre and the UP government and said it violated the SC verdict which said that the work should be entrusted to a trust. They also questioned Doordarshan’s live telecast of a politico-religious function.

RJD spokesman Manoj Jha told ET that the court verdict favoured construction of a Ram temple but questioned scheduling of the event during a pandemic. “We are clear that the Ram who represents the idea of Indian consciousness is the one Gandhiji imagined, of being compassionate and formless, not the one the Sangh Parivar wants us to believe in,” he added. SP president Akhilesh Yadav insisted Ram Rajya was needed in UP, citing the law and order. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said the pandemic scene called for a virtual ceremony.

A DMK functionary said the party did not want to ruffle feathers on something that had legal sanctity and said it has been pressing on issues such as NEP “more relevant to the state”.


Apna Dal (Sonelal) MLA Amar Singh said: “Shilanyas was done during Congress regime and home minister Buta Singh was present. He was a Dalit.”

With inputs from Agencies