“It is good that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party are not coming for the consecration on January 22… They have no ‘faith’ in Lord Ram,” says Krishna Swaroop, who has come from Agra and took an evening boat ride on the Saryu river. Joined News 18 on the journey. In Ayodhya.

This holy city is filled with devotees from near and far. News18 met the youth of Amritsar on the boat, who have been running ‘langar’ (community kitchen) in Ayodhya for the last two months in devotion to Lord Ram. “I took two months leave from my job in Dubai to come here…I consider myself lucky. Generations of Sanatan have waited for this. We did not get the opportunity to serve in 1992, but now we have got the opportunity. Unfortunately, Congress lost this opportunity of January 22,” said Vishal Sharma and Sudesh Kumar. Here the volunteers of Durgiana Temple of Amritsar are helping them.

Most devotees and saints in Ayodhya seem to agree on one issue that the Congress has “disrespected” it by rejecting the January 22 invitation. Mahant Raju Das of Hanumangarhi temple on Tuesday criticized Rahul Gandhi’s statement in which he had said that there was a BJP-RSS program on January 22. “The invitation was given to Congress by the Ram Mandir Trust, not by the BJP or the RSS. What does he mean by ‘BJP-RSS event’? Are BJP and RSS any anti-national organizations?” Das asked News18.

Das ridiculed Congress leader Digvijay Singh’s statement that the Garbh Griha (sanctum sanctorum of the temple) was not built where the Babri Masjid was demolished. “He should first try to go to Ayodhya to know the facts…he doesn’t know about Ayodhya,” Das said. “They are now saying that their top leaders may come later… and some of their leaders came yesterday. It’s like someone invites you to their wedding but you want to come some other day,” he said.

Krishna Swaroop and his wife Rashmi, who went on a boat trip, told News18 that their family has a special relationship with Lord Ram. “We are from the clan of Gautam Rishi. We are associated with Lord Rama, who blessed Ahilya, wife of Gautam Rishi. Hanuman is considered our nephew and Mother Sita is from our maternal side,” say the couple. Rashmi says that he had come to Ayodhya six months ago also. “Pran Pratishtha is a big event not only for Ayodhya or India but for the entire world. Lord Ram wanted peace for the world,” says Swaroop.

He says it is “good” that Congress is not coming on January 22. “They are ‘nastikas’ (non-believers)…they have always opposed Lord Ram,” the couple says.

At the Shri Janaki Mahal Trust near Ram Janmabhoomi, several pilgrims staying here said it was unfortunate that the Congress has rejected the invitation for January 22. “This is the program of Lord Ram, not the program of any party or organization. Who would refuse to attend the consecration of Lord Ram? Lord Ram is watching everything. We have come all the way from Gujarat looking for the January 22 invitation,” a group of devotees from Gujarat told News18.