Arvind Kejriwal will be the first party boss among INDIA bloc members to offer prayers at the newly inaugurated Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir at Ayodhya, when he travels to the temple town with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday. The families of both the leaders will accompany them, as the Delhi CM had earlier decided to visit the temple only after the consecration ceremony on January 22.
Ahead of the ‘pran pratishtha’ of Ram Lalla’s idol, Kejriwal had said he was awaiting the final invite that never came his way. During his Republic Day address this year, he had unambiguously endorsed the grand ceremony saying: “Friends, just a few days ago in Ayodhya, the pran pratishtha of Shri Ram Lalla was held. This is a matter of great pride, joy and cheer (badhai) for the entire country and the world. People celebrated the event with gusto. On the one hand, while we must express our devotion to Shri Ram, on the other we must take inspiration from his life and imbibe his message in our lives,” he had said.
In the weeks leading up to the ceremony, the AAP had organised the recitation of Sunderkand Path in all assembly constituencies of Delhi. Kejriwal had also taken part in the one in Rohini, and was out on the streets distributing food at a number of bhandaras set up by AAP MLAs and supporters. The Delhi government had also held the Ramleela for three days.
This will not be the AAP convener’s first visit to Ayodhya. In October 2021, he had offered prayers at Hanumangarhi and the Ram temple.
Ayodhya also figures prominently in the Delhi government’s popular ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana’. Kejriwal has also announced that the government will make special budgetary allocation for more trains to the temple town, in keeping with the demand.
Ahead of the 2020 Delhi assembly elections, when there was a threat of polarisation, Kejriwal had recited the Hanuman Chalisa to show that he is a believer and a bhakt of Hindu deity Hanuman. Later, in the Delhi assembly, he had vowed to bring in ‘Ramrajya’ in the national capital and gone on to define the “10 principles” like free and good quality health, education and security for women among others, which would define it.
His clear support for the ‘pran pratishtha’ is in stark contrast to the views of his allies in the INDIA bloc, who have been more nuanced and critical in their responses.
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