New Delhi: Several top politicians, athletes, and celebrities, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, were invited for the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22. However, the Congress party announced on Wednesday that it will skip the event, citing the inauguration as a politically motivated move by the BJP and RSS.

In a statement released by the party, it emphasized that the inauguration of the incomplete temple has been strategically scheduled for electoral gain. The Congress leaders, while expressing respect for the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and acknowledging the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, have decided to decline the invitation, characterizing the event as an RSS/BJP affair.

Other Opposition leaders, such as Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav, and Sitaram Yechury, were also extended invitations for the ceremony. The Congress party's decision not to attend reinforces their stance against participating in what they perceive as a politically motivated event orchestrated by the ruling party and its ideological ally.