“Would they have tolerated it?” Mallikarjun Kharge, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community, said.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that he didn’t attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in January as people from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe continue to face discrimination over entry into temples across India. “Would they have tolerated it?” Kharge, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community, said.
“My people are still not allowed today in all the temples. Leave Ram Mandir, anywhere you go, there is a fight for entry… small temples in a village, they don’t allow. You don’t allow drinking water, you don’t allow educational institutions, you don’t tolerate even a bridegroom who goes in a procession on a horse… people pull them and beat them. Keeping a moustache… tell them to clean it. So you expect me… If I go, would they have tolerated it,” said Kharge, according to Indian Express.
In response to queries about the Congress party’s absence from the consecration ceremony officiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge clarified that their decision was not politically motivated, contrary to assertions made by the Prime Minister.
Kharge said that the choice stemmed from individual beliefs and convictions rather than partisan agendas. He reiterated that attending such events was a matter of personal faith, and anyone is free to participate according to their own inclinations, whether on that particular day or at any other time.
“We told our people ‘Jiski aastha hai, definitely jao. Hum jo jis waqt jana hain, us waqt jayenge (Those who have faith should definitely go. We will go at a time of our choosing)’,” the Congress president said.
Kharge didn’t shy away from calling out the government’s treatment of President Droupadi Murmu and her predecessor Ram Nath Kovind, highlighting instances where their Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste backgrounds were seemingly used to humiliate them.
“Why did you not allow (President Droupadi) Murmu along with the Prime Minister? She is the first citizen of this country. You didn’t allow (her). At the same time, the inauguration of (the new) Parliament (building)… you did not allow her to come there and inaugurate it. (Former president Ram Nath) Kovind… he was there… a Scheduled Caste man as President. You did not allow him to lay the foundation stone of the Parliament (building). If other community people would have been there, you would have never violated these rules. Because they are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe — and you talk much about this, talk about our rights — you humiliate, and you tell everybody that Congress people did not come,” he said.
The Congress’ decision to abstain from the consecration ceremony stirred up controversy, with the BJP alleging that the decision was driven by vote bank politics, insinuating concerns about losing minority support. Kharge clarified that the ceremony was not a party function but for people who have faith.
“It is purely a religious function and it is the people who have got faith, it is their function. And they could have gone. I don’t have any animosity with any people. We have got 33 crore gods and goddesses. If they allow my people to worship, we will worship all 33 crore gods and goddesses,” Kharge said.