Congress' soul is Hindu, party leaders should attend Ram temple ceremony if invited: Shiv Sena (UBT)
Mumbai, Jan 3: Underlining that the Congress' "soul" is Hindu, Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday said leaders of that party should attend the Lord Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya if they have received the special invitation, keeping aside political differences.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party is an ally of Congress in Maha Vikas Aghadi and also a member of the INDIA bloc of opposition parties.
In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena (UBT) took a dig at the BJP, saying the Babri mosque wouldn't have been brought down if the prime minister at that time was from that party.
P V Narasimha Rao was the prime minister when the structure was razed in December 1992.
"If Congress has received any special invitation for the Ram temple consecration ceremony then it (the leaders) should go to Ayodhya. What is wrong with it?" the editorial asked.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi have been invited to the consecration ceremony scheduled to be held on January 22.
The Congress on Friday said it would decide about Kharge and Sonia Gandhi attending the event at an "appropriate time". Congress' leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also been invited.
"The Congress' soul is Hindu. There is nothing to hide in it," the edit said.
It is wrong to say that the BJP is the beholder of Hindutva as claimed by that party. The Congress has equally contributed to the growth of Hindu culture, it added.
"The Congress never opposed the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was of the opinion that Ram temple should be constructed in Ayodhya. It was on the instructions of Rajiv Gandhi that the famous serial Ramayan was telecast on Doordarshan," the edit said.
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Vijay says no to CM convoy until swearing-in: TVK
Chennai (PTI): TVK chief Vijay declined to accept the police convoy vehicles provided to Tamil Nadu chief minister as per protocol until his swearing-in, the party said on Thursday.
A police official confirmed that the CM convoy vehicles provided to him "as per protocol" following the announcement of the Assembly election results were returned and have not been withdrawn.
The official also said that arrangements were in place for the swearing-in ceremony.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) clarified that its party founder Vijay had "personally requested that the convoy vehicles be returned". In a statement here, the TVK said: "Vijay conveyed that he would accept the official chief minister-level security only after forming the government with a decisive mandate".
Four convoy vehicles assigned to Vijay on May 4 after his TVK secured 108 seats in the Assembly polls returned from his residence following his request.
Even on May 6, the police had deployed security near his Panaiyur residence and in front of the Lok Bhavan here when Vijay called on Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to stake his claim to form the government. Vijay did not use the government vehicle to meet the Governor.
