Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav stated on Friday that he has not yet received an invitation for the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
Speaking during an event at the party's Lucknow office on Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary, Yadav mentioned that he was informed about an invitation being sent through a courier, which he has not received.
He urged those claiming to have sent the invitation to provide the courier service receipt for tracking. Yadav emphasized, "Do not insult us in the name of Lord Ram. Someone said I got the invitation. Then truth surfaced that it was no invite. It was some invite sent through a courier service, which has not reached yet."
Taking a swipe at the BJP, Yadav accused the party of dividing society and emphasized the need to follow the path of tolerance and universal acceptance as advocated by Swami Vivekananda.
Addressing previous claims about the invitation, Yadav stated, "This is God’s programme, and the chief minister can’t be bigger than the God. Whomsoever God calls will run to God. If God calls me, I will go."
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief Alok Kumar had earlier claimed that an invitation had been sent to Yadav, to which Yadav responded with skepticism, stating that he only accepts invitations from those he knows.
The upcoming Ram Temple consecration ceremony on January 22 has drawn attention, with thousands planning to attend. However, it was noted that, except for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, no other Chief Minister has been invited, as reported by NDTV.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declined the invitation, terming the event a "political project" of the BJP and RSS, asserting that "religion is a personal matter."
Preparations for the consecration ceremony in the newly built Ram Janmabhoomi Temple are underway.
