Underlining that the Congress` “soul” is Hindu, Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday said that leaders of Congress party should attend the Lord Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya if they have received the special invitation, keeping aside political differences, reported the PTI.

According to the news agency, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) is an ally of Congress in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) nd also a member of the INDIA bloc of opposition parties.

In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena (UBT) took a dig at the BJP, saying the Babri mosque wouldn`t have been brought down if the prime minister at that time was from that party, as per the PTI.

P V Narasimha Rao was the prime minister when the structure was razed in December 1992.

“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?” the editorial asked.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi have been invited to the consecration ceremony scheduled to be held on January 22.

The Congress on Friday said that it would decide about Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi attending the event at an “appropriate time”, according to the news agency.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that Gandhi and Kharge have been invited to the ceremony.

Congress` leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also been invited.

“The Congress` soul is Hindu. There is nothing to hide in it,” the Saamana edit said.

It is wrong to say that the BJP is the beholder of Hindutva as claimed by that party. The Congress has equally contributed to the growth of Hindu culture, it added.

“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. It was on the instructions of Rajiv Gandhi that the famous serial Ramayan was telecast on Doordarshan,” the edit said, the PTI reported on Wednesday.

The consecration ceremony will be held on January 22 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and more than 6,000 people are expected to attend it.

(with PTI inputs)

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