Ram Mandir: Consecrating incomplete temple for political gains, says Kanimozhi

CHENNAI: Using the party youth wing stage to take a dig at the BJP for creating a hysteria around the Lord Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya, DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said that the BJP was using the consecration of the incomplete Ayodhya Temple for its political gains.

Speaking at the second state conference of the DMK youth wing on the eve of the temple consecration, Kanimozhi said, "We are speaking about the ideology of Periyar here today.

Tomorrow, they will be inaugurating a temple (in Ayodhya). I am not going to speak about the temple consecration. I would like to know from the HR and CE minister here if a temple can be consecrated without completing it."

"My anni (sister in law Durga Stalin) is here. She will also be upset that the temple is being consecrated without completion. BJP is claiming that they are the saviours of Hinduism. For your political mileage, you are using the temple, " she added.

Citing the partial holiday declared for union government staff and special trains operated to Ayodhya "for a temple to be consecrated by a private trust, "Kanimozhi said, "If we question this, ICE will come. By ICE, I mean Income Tax, CBI and ED. DMK will not be cowed down by such ICE threats. We will work to unseat the BJP from the union government."

Suggesting that it was not sufficient to win 40 seats in Tamil Nadu, Kanimozhi who unfurled the conference flag this morning said, "It is 40 out of 40 in TN. We must get it in the north too. Youth wing cadres must travel from here to the north straightaway and campaign there."