'Wrong' to take political advantage of Ram temple: Pilot slams BJP

JAIPUR: Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday hit out at the BJP, saying the party taking political advantage of the Ram temple was "wrong".

Pilot's remark comes on a day when the Congress announced that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have "respectfully declined" the invitation to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony, alleging that it has been made into a "political project" by the BJP and the RSS for "electoral gain".

"The matter of faith, religion and worship is personal. We all believe in Lord Ram and will continue to do so, but I consider it wrong how BJP wants to take advantage of it," Pilot told reporters at the Congress headquarters here.

"If you have to do politics then do it on issues. You should talk about investment, the poor, farmers, economic policies, and measures to reduce inflation," he added.

Pilot also said that there was no need for anyone to send invitations for the consecration ceremony on January 22 as those who want to go to the Ram temple will go on their own.

"There is no need for anyone's invitation to visit the temple. I will go whenever I feel like it... It is an emotional issue, it's a religious issue. I think it is wrong to do politics over it," Pilot said.

Referring to the Congress candidate's victory from the Karanpur Assembly seat of the state, Pilot said the ruling BJP had made its candidate a minister but the voters rejected him.

"The public and the voters do not get carried away by such persuasion and know what is right and wrong," Pilot said.

In a setback to the newly formed BJP government, Minister of State Surendra Pal Singh on January 8 lost the election in Sriganganagar district’s Karanpur by a margin of 11,283 votes to his Congress rival Rupinder Singh Kooner.

Pilot further said the opposition INDIA bloc will win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.