Himachal Minister to attend temple event 'to honour father' as Congress stays away

Chandigarh: The day the Congress high command chose not to attend the Ram Temple in Ayodhya's consecration event on January 22nd, Minister Vikramaditya Singh of the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department said, “I remain committed to my earlier statement. I intend to visit Ayodhya not as a politician but as the son of the late Virbhadra Singh, a devout follower of Lord Ram. It’s my moral duty as his son to attend. How can I refuse this putra-dharam (son’s duty)?”

Vikramaditya Singh, son of five-time CM Virbhadra Singh and state party chief Pratibha Singh, stated, “I’ve conveyed my views to senior party leaders. I received the invitation not for myself but out of respect for my late father. He was involved in the Ram Jannmabhoomi movement. However, I want to clarify, I oppose the RSS-VHP, BJP’s ideology of Hindu Rashtra, and their polarization policies. I am a dedicated Congress worker loyal to its ideology, ” Indian Express reported.

He added, “Yesterday, our honorable CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also mentioned that they did not require an invitation to visit Ayodhya.”

The RSS-VHP extended an invitation to rural Shimla MLA Vikramaditya Singh to attend the Ram Mandir consecration event in Ayodhya. Upon receiving the invitation, he had said, “This isn’t a political matter. I feel privileged to be among the select invitees from Himachal Pradesh, and thank the RSS and VHP for this honour bestowed upon my family. This is a rare chance to be a part of history, and as a Hindu devoted to the dev samaj, it’s my responsibility to witness Lord Ram’s pran pratishtha on this occasion.”

Meanwhile, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development minister, Anirudh Singh, who had expressed a desire to go to Ayodhya, said, “I mentioned we would go to Ayodhya in February, and I stand by that statement.” Anirudh Singh is the

While some saw these ministers' opinions as differing from the position of the Congress central leadership, a number of party members and leaders in Himachal Pradesh, known as "Dev 'Bhoomi," perceive these statements differently

“People in Himachal Pradesh hold deep religious sentiments. As Dev Bhoomi, Lord Ram’s worship transcends political lines. If someone decides to go to Ayodhya on January 22, it’s their personal choice. The BJP’s political use of Lord Ram’s name, though, is morally questionable,” said Surinder Chauhan, Shimla’s Mayor and a senior Congress leader.

Earlier, CM Sukhu had said, “Lord Ram holds a central place in our faith, and we will follow the path he showed.”

A Congress leader, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed concern that the temple stand could backfire on the party. “The Lok Sabha elections are looming. In both 2014 and 2019, our party failed to secure a single Lok Sabha seat out of the state’s four. The BJP capitalized on the Ram Mandir issue, likely making it pivotal in the upcoming parliamentary elections,” the leader said.

Independent MLA Hoshyar Singh from Dehra constituency in Himachal stressed, “The Ram Temple issue is crucial for Himachal Pradesh. Solely viewing it through a political lens would be a disservice. Here, supporting the consecration ceremony enjoys widespread consensus.”