New Delhi: The Congress party’s endorsement of and support for the Ram Mandir bhoomi pujan hasn’t gone down well with the party’s Kerala wing.
T.N. Prathapan, Congress Lok Sabha MP from Thrissur, said the top brass’ support for the temple was akin to “bowing low for the temporary successes”.
“We can’t chase an extreme religious nationalism with its soft prototype,” Prathapan said in a letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. ThePrint has accessed the letter which is dated 4 August.
Prathapan also took special objection to statements by several Congress leaders, including former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh.
Both Nath and Singh, who are senior party leaders, emphatically supported the construction of the Ram Mandir, with Nath even announcing that the Madhya Pradesh Congress was sending 11 silver bricks for the construction of the Mandir. Singh said that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi also wanted the temple to be built.
Prathapan wrote that Nath and Singh’s statements had “disappointed” him a lot.
“There are million people who are grieving in the memories of Babari Masjid even though they are accepting the court verdict. Because demolition was a kind of attack to their conscience. We are including that demography also. We can’t leave them in a despair. And sadly, the party has been left in defense by their statements (sic),” Prathapan wrote.
“I believe that what ultimately matters is not the failures we face, but it is matter that we are not bowing low for temporary success (sic),” he added.
Also read: Unseen photos of how Babri Masjid demolition was planned and executed in 1992
‘Priyanka Gandhi’s support understandable’
Prathapan’s disagreement with the party’s position on the Ram Mandir comes at a time when the Congress’ ally in Kerala, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), also objected to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s support for the mandir.
“We express our disagreement on the statement issued by Priyanka Gandhi on the construction of the temple in Ayodhya. Her statement is very much out of place,” said a two-line resolution passed by the IUML Wednesday.
The Congress general secretary’s statement in support of the bhoomi pujan said she hoped the ceremony becomes a symbol of “national unity”.
Prathapan said Priyanka’s position was “acceptable” given that “she is wishing unity in the name of temple”.
However, “we certainly know that such unity wouldn’t be there as far as Sangh Parivar has power.”
“Still, by considering the ground realities of the politics in North India, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Smt. Priyanka ji has kept the concern and dignity in her statement,” Prathapan wrote.
Also read: Let Ayodhya Ram Mandir be a reminder: Indian ancestors died for it, up to us to rebuild
‘Ayodhya Ram temple built by Sangh Parivar won’t have sanctity’
Multiple Congress leaders had complained that the bhoomi pujan seemed like a BJP-RSS event, with the party “stealing all the credit”.
But Prathapan was of the opinion that the Congress should not have any stakes in such an event.
“I think this particular event is a Sangh Parivar sponsored ‘religious political’ one. If we are not invited to this, why would our leaders beg for that?,” Prathapan stated.
The Kerala Congress MP said he too is a Hindu believer and noted that he did not have anything against temples in general.
“I strongly believe that a temple built by Sangh Parivar with the intentions of extreme communal politics will not be bearing the sanctity of other Ram temples built upon devotion and tolerance,” he wrote.
Also read: With Ram Mandir, Modi has reversed the tide of history more than any other global leader
Every Muslim of the nation couldn’t ask for RamaMandir issue. Why Congress MP questioned. It leads party down fall. He is the MP elected by Congress votes. Muslim leaders couldn’t ask. Today every Muslim eager to change his financial issue. He known what happened. But he ignored. Why are you questioning. Don’t throw party into defence.
Thanking you.
The Kerala Congress MP said he too is a Hindu believer This type of person of any faith iis called kutta
When BJP/ RSS and the Hindus of this world fought for this temples then who else is to take the credit? Now everyone wants a piece of it, this is why we can Congress and others as pseudo seculars. They have no objective but to take advantage whenever they can. The country, society can go to hell.
Hey
Mr prathapan hope this reaches to you…why u bleed for Muslims only and not worried milions of Hindus who waited for their devotee since 500 years. You play your politics of eating cow and hurting Hindu sentiments .what sanctity you have to call yourself Hindu …what Congress did for peaceful soluting of ayodhya ..accept that you guys didn’t have balls fearing Muslim votes …Congress will wipe out all over India and it will be only in meat eaters like you will get votes …no future for Congress. if babri masjid was not demolished tmeple would not have come up.
Bye idiot prathapan
Congress has now truly become a Pappu Party.
Stop viewing this topic with electoral side. Its over, move on!!! Do not keep the pot boiling…
The Congress was dammed if they did and dammed if they didn’t.
Hilarious.
CheckMate!!
Prathapan has hit the right note when he says that any temple built as a result of polarization and communal politics will not have the sanctity of other shrines of India.
In the same sense of rightioness, I can argue. Any wife kidnapped will not have the sanctity of other not kidnapped women. Something are worth fight for and as Gita said, when done wrong, its our duty to fight for the right.