"They opposed Pran-Pratishtha...": PM Modi slams Congress over Ram Temple

Ajmer (Rajasthan) [India], April 6 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked the Congress and asserted that the party opposed the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple to the extent that it expelled the party member for six years who had attended the event.
Addressing a public gathering in Ajmer, PM Modi asked the gathering if they were happy that Ram Mandir had been built.
"Ram Mandir has been built, are you happy or not? Going to Pran Pratistha was opposed, is it appropriate? Not only this but if someone went to Pran Pratishtha, he was expelled from the Congress Party for 6 years. Can this happen in this country? Can you imagine the country without Lord Ram?" PM Modi said.
PM Modi further said that the occasion of Ram Navami is around the corner and there will be massive celebrations.
"Ram Navami is coming and people are going to celebrate, let's see how much you oppose it," he said.
Earlier, Congress bigwigs--national president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Sonia Gandhi and the party's Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury--turned down the invitation to the grand Ram Temple opening on January 22, calling it a 'BJP-RSS' event.
Acharya Pramod Krishnam, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow on a Congress ticket but lost, praised PM Modi for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and flayed the Congress leadership for skipping the event. Later, Congress expelled Acharya Pramod Krishnam for six years.
Coming down heavily on the Congress party following his expulsion, Krishnam said that he would wish to be expelled for 14 years instead of 6 years, as Lord Rama also went into exile for 14 years.
Questing the allegations of anti-party activity, the expelled Congress leader said, "Taking the name of Lord Rama or going to Ayodhya or accepting the invitation of the Pran Pratishtha event or laying the foundation of Shri Kalki Dham or meeting Narendra Modi ji is anti-party activity? These are my questions from the leadership of Congress and they must tell the people what are the things that are anti-party activities."
The decision to expel Krishnam was taken by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge after a proposal seeking his dismissal from the party was mooted by the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.
"In view of the complaints of indiscipline and repeated statements against the party. Congress President has approved the proposal of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee to expel Pramod Krishnam from the party for six years with immediate effect," read an official statement issued by the Congress on Saturday.
The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the elaborate 'Pran Pratishtha ceremony' on January 22, which involved hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the ceremony. (ANI)