The Communist Party of India (CPI) will not participate in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony for the installation of the Ram Lalla idols in Ayodhya on 22 January, party general secretary D Raja confirmed on Friday.Speaking to reporters, D Raja stated the event was a Our party will not participate in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. It is a state-sponsored political event organized by the BJP and RSS combined. It is known to the whole world and all countries. The BJP and RSS have combined, making it a political event for their electoral gains.The Constitution makes it clear that the Indian state should remain a secular democratic state. The Indian state should be neutral towards all religions. Indirectly, it should not take steps to provide de facto official religious status to any particular religion. But here, what we are witnessing is the PM is going and along with him, there will be RSSs chief participating in that event, Raja said.He stated that the Indian constitution mandates a secular state that remains neutral towards all religions. Yet we see the Prime Minister attending an event that gives de facto official religious status to one faith over others. Questioning the timing just before the elections, Raja claimed, BJP think they can convert this event into a huge electoral campaign--a political campaign to hoodwink people at the time of elections.We want no part in such politicisation of religion, the CPI leader concluded.Prime Minister Modi is set to preside over the installation ceremony that has attracted global attention, with VVIP guests from India and overseas invited.
