Bengaluru, Karnataka’s Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, has voiced strong criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) handling of the Ram Mandir inauguration event in Ayodhya, asserting that it is causing divisions within the Hindu community.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Siddaramaiah, in a press statement, expressed support for the Congress party’s decision to abstain from the inauguration. He highlighted the controversy sparked by the Ram Mandir Trust Secretary’s statement, which suggested exclusion of Shaivas and Shaktas from the temple’s power structure. This has insulted Shaiva devotees and led to the boycott of the event by four Shankaracharya peethas.

Siddaramaiah backed the decision of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Sonia Gandhi, and LoP in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, to not participate in the Ram Lalla installation programme. He accused Prime Minister Modi and the Sangh Parivar of politicizing a religious event, stating that it should have been inclusive of all religions, castes, and creeds. He argued that this approach betrays the Hindu community and reduces the event to a mere political campaign.

The Chief Minister further criticized the BJP and RSS leaders for being silent on the inauguration of an incomplete temple, challenging their stance on Hindu religion, culture, and rituals. He reiterated Congress’s commitment to the court’s decision on the Ram temple issue and emphasized the acceptance of the verdict by the Muslim community as well.

Siddaramaiah also accused Modi of trying to generate a Hindu wave through the inauguration of the incomplete Ram Mandir ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, instead of showcasing his achievements after a decade in power. He claimed that the BJP and Sangh Parivar have been exploiting the name of Ram for political gains for the last 30 years and that the public is increasingly questioning the use of funds collected for the temple.

Concluding his statement, Siddaramaiah declared opposition to the “fake Hindutva” of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, emphasizing a commitment to opposing blind rituals and beliefs in the name of religion, and the misuse of religion in politics.