
The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, is reportedly not expected to attend the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22, 2023. A senior Trinamool Congress leader conveyed to news agency PTI that neither the chief minister nor any representative from the West Bengal government or the party will be present at the event. The TMC asserts its stance against mixing politics with religion.
This position aligns with the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which also declined the invitation, emphasizing that religion is a personal choice and should not be exploited for political purposes. The Ram temple consecration event has created divisions within the opposition bloc ‘INDIA.’ While Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav expressed her willingness to attend if invited, Shiv Sena (UBT) faction leader Sanjay Raut asserted that there was no need for an invitation for party chief Uddhav Thackeray, citing the party’s longstanding association with Ayodhya.
The Congress, on the other hand, has expressed gratitude for the invitation from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust but has not disclosed its stance on whether top leaders will participate in the event. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal acknowledged the invitation, stating, “They have invited us; we are very much thankful to them for inviting us, let us see.”