Ram temple consecration: Delhi joins celebrations as AAP takes out 'shobha yatras' to counter BJP

It was clear that Arvind Kejriwal's party does not want the BJP to capitalise on the Ram temple event ahead of elections and was sending a signal to the majority community.

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Cabinet ministers and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs as well as BJP president JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah took part in separate events in the national capital related to the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Nadda, accompanied by Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and party leaders, was present at the Jhandewalan Temple here while Shah, along with Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi and other BJP leaders, was present at Lakshmi Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Temple.

Several other Union Ministers, including Hardeep Singh Puri, also watched the live streaming of the ceremony and took part in special prayers held at different parts of the city. "It is a big historic day which has come after 500 years of waiting. It is a very auspicious day for all of us," Nadda told reporters.

In what is seen as a counter to the BJP, AAP took out 'shobha yatras' and organised community kitchens across the capital. Kejriwal, who participated in 'bhandaras' organised in different areas of Delhi, posted on 'X', "Hearty congratulations and best wishes to all of you on this sacred occasion of the installation of Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram in the grand temple. Hail Siya Ram."

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj participated in a 'Sundar Kand' recital at Sheikh Sarai and said, "on the auspicious occasion of the 'Pran Prathistha' at the Ram temple, I had the privilege of attending the 'Sundar Kand' recital organised at Sheikh Sarai 2. The AAP has organised shobha yatras and 'Sundar Kand' recitals in every ward of Delhi. Jai Siya Ram."

Atishi, another minister who participated in a puja and 'havan', posted on 'X', "Shri Ram is present in every particle of this world and in the mind of every human being. If we adopt the ideals of Maryada Purushottam (Lord Ram) in our personality, then life will be blessed. Jai Shri Ram."

While Kejriwal did not go to Ayodhya for the ceremony, he had said he along with his family would visit soon. The party also held ‘Sunderkand’ recitations in various locations in Delhi with Kejriwal attending one such function.

The Chief Minister had also announced that more trains under the ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana’ will run to Ayodhya soon. From Saturday to Monday, Delhi government also organised three-hour Ramlila for the past three days.

Sources said the AAP does not want the BJP to capitalise on the Ram temple event ahead of elections and is sending a signal to the majority community. Earlier also, Kejriwal had publicly said he is a devotee of Hanuman and had recited ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at public functions.