Akhilesh Yadav expressed gratitude to Champat Rai for the invitation, mentioning that he intends to visit the Ram Temple with his family after the inauguration event.
On Saturday, Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, expressed his gratitude to Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Ayodhya Temple Trust, for the invitation to the consecration ceremony on January 22. He confirmed his attendance at the temple with his family post the inauguration event, assuring that he received the invitation on the same day. This response emerged amidst a heated political debate surrounding participation in the event.
In line with several allies within the INDIA bloc, Akhilesh opted not to attend the ceremony, but rather than declining outright, he expressed his intention to visit the temple later. Akhilesh did not provide a specific reason for his absence from the pran-pratishtha event.
The CPM was the first among the INDIA bloc parties to reject the invitation. Similarly, the Congress labeled the January 22 inauguration as a BJP/RSS event in their statement. According to Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, while acknowledging the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and respecting the sentiments of Lord Ram’s devotees, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, and Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have politely declined the invitation, recognizing it as an RSS/BJP affair. Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee dismissed the inauguration of the Ram Temple as an election gimmick.
A controversy surrounds the Akhilesh-Ayodhya invitation. Until Friday, Akhilesh asserted not receiving any inauguration ceremony invitation. According to Vishwa Hindu Parishad sources, a VHP representative extended the invitation to Akhilesh, who declined, citing unfamiliarity with the person. Akhilesh reportedly stated, “We do not accept invitations from those whom we do not know.”
“I haven’t received any invitation through courier. I’ve checked both at home and the party office, and I’ve requested to be informed if someone else received it. We need the receipt to track the courier. Invitations aren’t casually handed over to someone on the road,” stated Akhilesh on Friday.
