Refuting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claim of not inviting President Droupadi Murmu for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya because of her tribal origin, Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Tuesday (30th April) said that the allegations of the Wayanad MP are “absolutely false, baseless, and misleading”.
Asserting that the President of India was invited to the event held in January this year, Champat Rai, general secretary of the trust said that he has “serious objection” to the allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi.
“In a meeting in Gujarat, Rahul ji has said that the President Droupadi Murmu was not invited to the occasion of Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya because she is a tribal. As the General Secretary and Trustee of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, I have serious objection to these statements of Rahul ji. These statements are absolutely false, baseless, and misleading,” he said.
He said Rahul’s baseless charge about the event that took place three months ago could create divisions in the society. “These parts of the speech are seriously objectionable for us,” he added.
He also said that both President Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind were invited to the Pran Pratishtha. “People from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and the extremely poor were invited and they came. Also, the shramiks involved in the construction of the mandir were also present in the Prana Pratishtha ceremony. Even during the Prana Pratishtha rituals, many families belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward castes were given the opportunity to worship in the “Goodh Mandap” of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir,” Rai added. Notably, President Droupadi Murmu will visit Ayodhya and have the darshan of Ram Lalla on Wednesday.
According to the Rashtrapati Bhavan press release, President Murmu will also perform the Saryu pujan and aarti. “During her stay in Ayodhya, the President will make darshan and aarti at Shri Hanuman Garhi Temple, Prabhu Shri Ram Temple, and Kuber Teela. She will also do the Saryu pujan and aarti,” the release stated.
The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya’s historic temple was held on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the Vedic rituals, led by a group of priests. The ceremony was attended by representatives of all major spiritual and religious sects in the country. People from all walks of life, including representatives of various tribal communities, will also attend the ceremony.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly been lying about President Droupadi Murmu not being invited to Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony. On 13th April, he claimed that President Draupadi Murmu was not invited to the Pran Prathistha ceremony of Ram Mandir for virtue of being an Adivasi. “They had told her not to come for the Pran Prathistha of the Ram Mandir. Why? Because she is an Adivasi. This is the only reason,” he claimed.
The truth is that President Murmu was formally invited by a delegation representing the Ram Temple Trust to attend the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya.
The invitation was extended on 12th January this year by a delegation comprising Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Ram Lal, and Ram Mandir construction committee chairperson Nripendra Mishra.