Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and former President Sonia Gandhi, received invitations to the ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. However, sources suggest that these senior Congress leaders may not attend the ceremony. The invitations were sent individually to them, and former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda have also been invited.
Reports state that Sonia Gandhi and Kharge were invited by a group connected to the construction of the Ram Temple, which includes Nripendra Mishra. The invitation also extends to former president Pratibha Patil and leaders of all political parties. All leaders of national political parties have received invitations to the inauguration ceremony. However, chief ministers and governors, even if they lead political parties, are not included in the guest list.
The Ram Temple Trust announced on Monday that BJP veterans LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, who played key roles in the Ram temple agitation in Ayodhya, are unlikely to attend the inauguration event next month due to their age and health. Ram Temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai explained that considering their advanced age, both Advani (96) and Joshi (89) were advised not to attend, a suggestion that they accepted.
The Trust provided a detailed list of attendees, mentioning that spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Mata Amritanandamayi from Kerala, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, film stars Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Arun Govil, film director Madhur Bhandarkar, and prominent industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani, along with others such as famous painter Vasudev Kamat and ISRO Director Nilesh Desai, have been invited to the ceremony.
More invitations to other opposition leaders are expected in the coming days, as stated by the Trust. Invitations have been extended to respected saints from different traditions and prominent individuals contributing to the country’s honor across various domains.
In the new Teerth Kshetra Puram, a Tent City has been set up, featuring six tube wells, six kitchen houses, and a hospital with ten beds, the Trust reported. Around 150 doctors from across the country have volunteered to provide their services in rotation at this hospital. The Trust has invited about 4,000 saints from different sects to participate in the ceremony.
