'BJP, RSS have nothing to do with it': Congress' Rashid Alvi wades into Ram Mandir row

Congress politician Rashid Alvi slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday and backed Congress Karnataka MLA Priyank Kharge's statement on setting a deadline for filling government job vacancies and getting the economy back on track, and not just for the opening of the Ram Mandir.

Rashid Alvi said, Ram Mandir has been contructed because of the SC's order. The BJP and the RSS have nothing to do with it."

"Indeed unemployment is a big issue that needs to be flagged and the Congress party has been flagging these issues time and again," the Uttar Pradesh Congress leader said. 

On the other hand, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge slammed Amit Shah over announcing the deadline for opening Ram Mandir instead of announcing deadlines for critical issues the nation is facing such as unemployment and economy.

Priyank said, "Good to know that Ram Mandir will be ready by Jan 1 next year. Requesting Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to set dead lines not just for the temple but also for filling up Govt job vacancies & getting the economy on track. After all Ram Rajya means peace & prosperity for all."

Earlier, Priyank Kharge's father Mallikarjun Kharge attacked the Union Home Minister and said, "Everyone has faith in god. But why did you (Amit Shah) make such an announcement in the run-up to the (Tripura Assembly) polls? Who are you to make such an announcement? Are you the pujari or the mahant of the Ram temple? Your job is to protect the country..."

Home Minister Amit Shah on Ram Mandir

Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Thursday that Ram Mandir will be completed by January 1, 2024. The announcement came while the Home Minister was in Tripura to kick off the party's 'Jan Viswas Yatra' campaign in the state.

During the rally he said, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress during the 2019 election always criticised the BJP and said 'Mandir wahi banayege aur tihti nhi batayege.' Meanwhile, he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hastening its construction. He told to the people of Sabroom in Tripura to book tickets to visit the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on Januray 1, 2024."

Following that, a political war of words erupted, with the opposition attacking the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party.