Not attending Ram temple consecration as it's Modi-RSS event: Rahul Gandhi

Chiephobozou: Insisting that he does not need to wear his faith on his sleeves as he differentiates his belief in Hinduism with that of his opponents, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said that BJP and RSS have transformed the Ram temple consecration ceremony into a “Narendra Modi function” and given it a “political and electoral flavour”.

Highlighting that the “biggest authorities” of the Hindus too have made their views against making the event political, Rahul made it clear that the Congress is open to all religions and faiths but it is “difficult” for them to attend the ceremony, which has been “designed around our principle opponents the BJP and RSS”.

Addressing his first press conference during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, he said, “RSS has made the January 22 ceremony a complete Narendra Modi function. It has become an RSS-BJP event and I think that is why the Congress president (Mallikarjun Kharge) said that he would not attend the function.”

As Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who received the invitations, had earlier “respectfully declined” to attend the event, Rahul said Modi and RSS, who are their “principle opponents”, have “captured and turned it (Ayodhya event) into an election function”.

“We have made it clear that whoever would like to visit the Ram Temple. Among our partners and parties, all are welcome to do so. But it is difficult for us to visit on January 22. It is a Prime Minister and RSS function. It is not possible for us,” he said to a question whether he will visit Ram Temple during his yatra.

Asked specifically whether he will visit the temple after the consecration ceremony, he said the yatra has a fixed route and he is going to follow the route that has been designed and going to stick to it.

Queried about BJP's allegations that Gandhi family is “anti-Hindu”, he sought to differentiate his beliefs with that of the BJP-RSS and said he lives his life as per the principles of religion and does not feel the need to "wear his religion on his sleeve".

“My thinking is that those who really believe in a religion in the true sense keep their relations with the religion personal and do not misuse it. The one who has a public relationship with religion, tries to take advantage of it,” he said in veiled criticism of Modi, who announced that he would be going on a fast for 11 days till the ceremony.

“I try to live by the principles of religion and apply it in my life. So I behave properly with people, I treat people with respect. When someone says something, I never respond with arrogance. I listen to them. I don’t spread hatred. I follow that in my life. So I don’t need to wear it on my sleeves. Those who don't follow this, they wear it on their sleeves,” he said.

On the still pending Naga Peace process, he said he is absolutely perplexed about it and promised that the I.N.D.I.A alliance once voted to power will try to implement it.

Asked about the I.N.D.I.A alliance, he said he is confident about the bloc overthrowing the BJP regime and that there is broad agreement among parties and the discussions were going well, which is not "very complex".

On the uncertainty over naming Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the I.N.D.I.A convenor, he said the media is "overplaying" certain things and not highlighting the “positives, discussions, humour and camaraderie” in the meetings.

“The status of talks in I.N.D.I.A is very good. The conversations are progressing. Broadly, a lot of those are quite simple and not complex.