"Congress' anti-Lord Ram face now exposed": Smriti Irani

Patna (Bihar) [India], January 10 (ANI): Hours after Congress announced that its senior leaders, including former party president Sonia Gandhi, invited to the Pran Pratistha ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla, wouldn't attend the event, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said that the grand old party's anti-Lord Ram face is now before the nation.
The Union Minister said that the decision to decline the Ram Temple event invitation by the leaders of the INDIA bloc reflects their 'anti-Sanatan' mindset.
"Congress party's anti-Lord Ram face has been exposed before the nation. It is no surprise that under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, the party that had filed an affidavit before the court that Lord Ram is a fictional character, its leadership declined the invitation to the 'pranpratishtha' of Ram Temple...Under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Congress, INDI Alliance has insulted Sanatan Dharma again and again. Now, the declining of the invitation to the 'pranpratishtha' by leaders of the INDI Alliance reflects their anti-Sanatan mindset," Smriti Irani said.
Earlier in the day, Congress' senior leaders--Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury--'declined' the invitation to the 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the grand event is "clearly a Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh event".
Reacting to this, Manoj Tiwari said, "Lord Ram belongs to not only the BJP and RSS but to every individual...If Congress feels that Lord Ram is not theirs, it is their problem."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the installation of the idol of Ram Lalla at the grand temple on January 22. As per temple officials, the ceremony will be held over a span of seven days starting from January 16.
Preparations are underway in full swing for the Ram Temple 'Pran Pratishtha' on January 22, which will draw dignitaries and people from all walks of life. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple at noon on January 22. Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, a week before the main ceremony.
A priest from Varanasi, Lakshmi Kant Dixit, will perform the main rituals of the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22. From January 14 to January 22, Ayodhya will mark the Amrit Mahotsav. Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, holds great spiritual, historical, and cultural significance for the people of India. (ANI)