On Ram temple day, Vijayan invokes ‘secularism’, Abhishek Banerjee says can’t accept ‘hatred’; new BJP-DMK row erupts

Asthe Pran Prathistha ceremony was underway in Ayodhya on Monday, few Opposition leaders across the country, who had declined the invitation to the event, participated in events linked to the temple or shared their thoughts supporting it. Leaders such as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and Tamil Nadu minister Udhyanidhi Stalin, however, registered their protest.

In a message to the media, Vijayan said: ‘Secularism is the soul of the democratic republic of India. It has been part of the identity of our nation since our days of the national movement…This nation belongs to all people and all sections of Indian society in equal measure. Religion is a private affair and the Indian Constitution has minced no words in stating that all persons are equally entitled to freely profess, practice and propagate religion.”

He added that those who “have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of India ought to ensure that everyone within our territories enjoys this in equal measure”.

Saying that the country had a strong tradition of separating State and religion, the CM added, “We have come to a point in time when the inauguration of a religious place of worship in the country is being celebrated as a State event. Those who have pledged to serve and protect our Constitution, let us reaffirm our commitment to its secular character. Let this serve as an opportunity to promote harmony and spirit of common brotherhood amongst all people of India.”

TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee took to Twitter on Sunday to say: “My RELIGION has not taught me to accept and embrace a place of worship, whether it be a MANDIR, MASJID, CHURCH or GURUDWARA, which has been built over HATRED, VIOLENCE and the dead bodies of