In an editorial published in the party’s mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena (UBT) emphasized that the “soul” of the Congress party is Hindu and encouraged its leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan, to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, a key ally of Congress, suggested that political differences should be set aside for such a significant occasion.
“If Congress has received any special invitation for the Ram temple consecration ceremony, then it (the leaders) should go to Ayodhya. What is wrong with it?” questioned Shiv Sena (UBT) in the editorial.
The editorial further stated, “The Congress’ soul is Hindu. There is nothing to hide in it.”
While Congress has not officially confirmed whether its top leaders will attend the event, the editorial urged the party to consider participating. It also countered the claim that the BJP solely represents Hindutva, noting the Congress’s historical contributions to Hindu culture.
“The Congress never opposed the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was of the opinion that Ram temple should be constructed in Ayodhya,” mentioned the editorial, highlighting the party’s stance in the past.
Taking a swipe at the BJP, the Shiv Sena (UBT) remarked that if the prime minister during the Babri mosque demolition was from the BJP, the incident might not have occurred. PV Narasimha Rao was the prime minister when the structure was demolished in December 1992.
