'BJP installed 2 dolls in a tent and called them Bhagwan Ram': Karnataka minister's remarks sparks row

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister KN Rajanna on Wednesday accused the BJP of installing two dolls in a tent and calling them Bhagwan Ram in Ayodhya.

"I had visited Ayodhya when Babri Masjid was demolished. They kept two dolls in a tent and called them Ram," he told reporters here.

Rajanna said when he visited Ayodhya, he felt nothing as he felt it when he visited a Ram temple in Karnataka.

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KN Rajanna: ಅಯೋಧ್ಯೆ ರಾಮ ಮಂದಿರವನ್ನು 2 ಗೊಂಬೆಗಳಿರುವ ಟೆಂಟ್ ಗೆ ಹೋಲಿಸಿದ್ರಾ ರಾಜಣ್ಣ?@KNRajanna_Off @INCKarnataka #knrajanna #Ayodhya #ayodhyarammandir #RamMandirPranPratishta #RamMandir #RamMandirAyodhya #AyodhyaRamTemple #Dolls #PoliticsToday #LatestNews #KannadaNews pic.twitter.com/l4LX7uGaI7

— Karnataka_Tak (@Karnataka_Tak) January 16, 2024 >

Reacting to the controversial remarks, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad stated that these kinds of remarks are coming from the Congress party out of frustration at the central government's success in building a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The Minister also accused the BJP government at the center for using people's religious beliefs to win votes.

"There are Ram temples with a history of thousands of years. But the BJP is building temples for elections. BJP is cheating people," he said.

His remarks came in following the accusations and counter-accusations around the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

The Congress leadership is not attending the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya on January 22.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also pointed out that the authorities of the Hindu religion have called the consecration of Ram Lalla a political event.

"It is difficult for us to go to a political function, which is designed around the Prime Minister of India and the RSS."

Karnataka ministers and chief minister Siddaramaiah have decided not to attend the event.

On the other side, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Alok Kumar said Rajanna's remarks came out of "frustration" and "disappointment" from not being able to attend the consecration ceremony.

Meanwhile, temple authorities selected an idol carved by Mysuru-based Arun Yogiraj for installation in the temple.