Congress plays safe, extols Lord Ram’s values to slam govt

Forced to join a debate in Parliament on the opening of the Ram Temple, the Congress and a handful of other opposition parties – many from the INDIA bloc did not participate in the discussions in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha – accused the BJP of spreading hatred and animosity in the name of Ram and using religion to secure power but skirted the issue of thinning of the line that demarcates religion and state.

Congress leaders repeatedly said in both Houses that the path for construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was opened by the Supreme Court verdict and they respect the decision. In sharp contrast, AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi asked in Lok Sabha whether the government has any religion and whether the Narendra Modi government stands for only religion and one shade of Hindutva.

Owaisi said the light of Indian democracy is at its “dimmest” today. “I want to ask when the government replies to this debate will it focus on 140 crore Indians or only the Hindutva population?”

The Congress danced around the issue.

In Rajya Sabha, Congress MPs Pramod Tiwari and Randeep Surjewala said it was the Supreme Court that cleared the way for construction of the Ram Temple.

“We respect that. But mind you… Ram is love, justice, tolerance, virtue and ideal… If he is all this… then the name of Ram and Ram cannot be an issue for partisan politics. It is a sin to use the name of Ram for politics and votes… To spread hatred in the name of Ram is a bigger sin and violence in the name of Ram is the path to hell. If you still don’t change… then Ram will never forgive you. Jai Siya Ram,” Surjewala said.

Tiwari added: “Many people wanted the issue to remain alive. That the bloodshed should continue so that they can continue to do their politics and