‘Clearly RSS-BJP event’: Sonia, Kharge ‘respectfully’ decline Ram Temple invite

News Network

January 10, 2024

The Congress party has decided to skip the Ram Temple inauguration ceremony on Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, scheduled for January 22. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had received an invite to attend the ceremony from Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust.

The party issued a statement ending speculations over the Congress’s stance on the Ram Temple event amid contradictory opinions coming from several INDIA bloc partners.

In an official statement, issued by Jairam Ramesh, General Secretary (Communications), it was stated that, “Religion is a personal matter. But the RSS/BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya. The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain.”

“While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event,” the statement further read.

The party’s refusal to attend the high-profile event is expected to become the latest flashpoint between the Congress and the BJP ahead of the general election.

Several Opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress, have indicated that they would skip the event as well, providing ammunition to the BJP.

The temple town is getting ready to host thousands on the big day, during which schools and colleges across Uttar Pradesh will remain shut. The event will be telecast live across the country and many places abroad.

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Roadblock to Relief: Speaker Khader’s Push to Expand Key NH-66 Stretch from Nanthoor to Talapady

News Network

November 26,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 26: Assembly Speaker and local MLA U.T. Khader has initiated a high-level push to resolve one of Mangaluru’s longest-standing traffic headaches: the narrow, high-density stretch of National Highway-66 between Nanthoor and Talapady.

He announced on Tuesday that a formal proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) seeking approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the widening of this crucial corridor.

The plan specifically aims to expand the existing 45-meter road width to a full 60 meters, coupled with the construction of dedicated service roads. Khader highlighted that land for a 60-meter highway was originally acquired during the initial four-laning project, but only 45 meters were developed, leading to a perpetual bottleneck.

"With vehicle density rising sharply, the expansion has become unavoidable," Khader stated, stressing that the upgrade is essential for ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving safety at the city's main entry and exit points.

The stretch between Nanthoor and Talapady is a vital link on the busy Kochi-Panvel coastal highway and connects to major city junctions. The move to utilize the previously acquired land for the full 60-meter width is seen as a necessary measure to catch up with the region's rapid vehicular growth and prevent further traffic gridlocks.

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