Smriti Irani flays Congress as it 'respectfully declines' RSS-BJP Ram Temple event :::: BJP Govt in Manipur declines 'ground permission' for Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Nyay Yatra'

It took days and hours of predicament. Finally, the top Congress leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former chief Sonia Gandhi and floor leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have 'respectfully declined' the Ram Temple consecration ceremony invite.

"Lord Ram is worshipped by millions in our country. Religion is a personal matter. But the RSS/BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya. The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain," the party said in a statement.  

"While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event," it added.

Union Minister Smriti Irani says, "Congress party's anti-Lord Ram face is 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."

BJP Govt in Manipur declines 'ground permission' for Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' 

The Manipur government on Wednesday declined the 'ground permission' for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' at Hatta Kangjeibung in Imphal East district.

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president and senior Congress MLA K Meghachandra, who along with a team of party leaders, met Chief Minister N Biren Singh at his office complex-cum- Bungalow on Wednesday morning, said the Chief Minister informed them that his government could not give the permission, citing law and order situation in the state.

The yatra was scheduled to begin on January 14 from Imphal and it was to enter Nagaland on Jan 15 and then to Assam on Jan 18.  

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was scheduled to flag off the program in the presence of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states and top leaders of the party. 

The 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' would traverse 6,713 km by bus and on foot. It will cover 110 districts, 100 Lok Sabha seats and 337 assembly segments in 66 days. It is to culminate on March 20 in Mumbai.

Junior Chidambaram served Congress' notice for praising PM over Rahul Gandhi

Karti Chidambaram, also Lok Sabha MP, last week appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the issuance of Chinese visas. Tamil Nadu Congress Disciplinary panel chief KR Ramasamy issued the show-cause notice to the son of former Union home minister after Karti Chidambaram reportedly claimed that PM Narendra Modi is more popular than Rahul Gandhi.  

In an interview, responding to a specific question on if Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge would be a match for PM Modi, Karti Chidambaram said, "None would match one on one with BJP's propaganda machinery".

When the interviewer followed with the question "Even Rahul Gandhi", he added: "As far as I am concerned, with his propaganda machinery and natural advantage as Prime Minister it is difficult. But with issues we can defeat the BJP, with electoral arithmetic and messaging. As a political party we can defeat BJP".

Karti Chidambaram further said, "Although PM Modi's popularity is a factor and if you ask me to create a match, I'm unable to give a name immediately. As far as the Congress is concerned, if you ask the ground workers, they are keen to filed Rahul Gandhi".   

Ayodhya: On inspecting the ghats of Saryu river ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony on January 22nd, Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Neeraj Mittal says, 

"We are here to strengthen the telecommunication network of Ayodhya ahead of the grand ceremony. Optical fibres are being laid, cells on wheels are being planted, towers are being installed, drive tests are being carried out by officers from across the country..."

PM Narendra Modi is likely to visit Nashik, Maharashtra’s pilgrimage town, and also hold a roadshow on Jan 12, 2024 on the occasion of birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. 

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