Temple Trust rebuts Rahul’s charge of not inviting President for consecration

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya

Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust on Tuesday refuted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s charges of not inviting President Droupadi Murmu for the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya because of her tribal origin.

At an election rally in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, recently, Rahul Gandhi had levelled these allegations against the Trust. In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, Champat Rai, general secretary of the trust, dubbed Gandhi’s allegations baseless and misleading.

“Making such false, baseless and misleading speeches without proper knowledge of facts can create serious differences in the society. Hence, these aspects of the speech are deeply offensive to us,” said Rai in a statement posted on official handle of the Trust on X.

“I would like to tell Mr Rahul Gandhi that both the respected President of Bharat, Smt Droupadi Murmu, and former President Shri Ram Nath Kovind were invited to the auspicious ceremony held in Ayodhya,” said Rai. “Saints, families and dignitaries from various fields who have contributed to the progress of Bharat, belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, were invited,” he added.

“Also, the shramiks involved in the construction of the mandir were also present in the Prana Pratishtha ceremony. Even during the Prana Pratishtha rituals, many families belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes & other backward castes were given the opportunity to worship in the “Goodh Mandap” of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir,” Rai said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had presided over the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22 this year. Vedic rituals were performed under the supervision of priests from Varanasi. Along with the PM, VVIPs in large numbers were also invited for the mega opening ceremony of Ram Mandir.

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