‘Are you mahant of Ram Temple?’: Mallikarjun Kharge slams Amit Shah for announcing temple opening date

“There is an election in Tripura. (Amit) Shah goes there and says Ram Temple is being constructed and its inauguration is on (January) 1st. Everybody has faith in God but why are you announcing it during the election?” Kharge asked.

He added, “Are you the pujari of the Ram Temple. Are you the mahant of the Ram Temple? Let the mahants, sadhus and sants talk about it. Who are you to talk about the opening of the temple? You are a politician. Your job is to keep the country secure, maintain law and order, ensure food for the people and provide farmers with adequate prices.”

Kharge said the government had promised to double the income of the farmers but it has not happened. “They talked about increasing the MSP. Did that happen?”

The AICC president added, “They (BJP) are roaming around with a dagger, dividing society and pitting castes and religions against each other.” Kharge said Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is aimed at bridging that divide. “It is not for votes. This is in the national interest, this is in your interest, this is in the interest of the farmers, youth, women and the Dalits,” he said.

Addressing a rally in Tripura’s Sabroom where the Assembly election is due in March, Shah Thursday criticised the Congress and Rahul over the temple issue and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for expediting its construction.

“Babur destroyed it and left and from the time the country gained Independence, these Congress people got the case embroiled in the courts – Sessions Court, then the High Court, then the Supreme Court, again back to the Sessions Court. Modiji came and then one morning, the Supreme Court order was out. Modiji performed the bhoomipujan for Ram Lalla’s temple and the construction work began,” he said while announcing that on January 1, 2024, the temple will be opened.