Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said President Droupadi Murmu was not invited to the Pran Pratishtha program in Ayodhya and the inaugural function of Parliament due to her caste. Former President Ram Nath Kovind, Kharge said, was also not invited to the two events for the same reason.
“Prime Minister Modiji says though we invited Congress party leaders to Ayodhya, they never showed up. They show disrespect for God. But why didn't you invite our president? You have not even invited the country's first citizen to the inaugural function of Parliament,” Kharge said at a rally in rural Bengaluru.
The 'Pran Pratishtha', or consecration, of the Ram Mandir was held in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024. A press release issued by the Congress party quoted Kharge making these remarks during the public meeting in rural Bengaluru on Monday.
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However, the temple construction committee and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had invited President Murmu for the Ram Mandir event.
In February, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also said that President Droupadi Murmu is an 'Adivasi' and so she was not invited to the mega event.
“Have you seen the Ram Mandir event? It was held with much fanfare. But have you seen Dalit faces? Our president is an Adivasi, so she was not allowed to attend the event. Did you see a farmer or worker at the meeting? There were no backward class faces to be seen anywhere at the event. But you must have seen Adani, Ambani and their families. All the businessmen were there.
Kharge said on Monday that Prime Minister Modi criticized the Congress manifesto but the guarantees announced in the grand old party's manifesto did not mention that it was meant for Muslims, Hindus or any particular community. “They (guarantees) are for everyone. They are for all citizens of India,” Kharge said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked controversy on Sunday after he said that if the Congress Party came to power, it would redistribute wealth to those “with more children”. The Prime Minister also quoted former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's disputed comments that Muslims had first claim on the country's resources.
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The Prime Minister's comments have sparked a political row, with many calling his comments “hate speech.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his comments at a public meeting in Aligarh on Monday, saying the Congress would “steal the gold of mothers and sisters” if elected to power.
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Published: Apr 22, 2024 8:07 PM IST