“Not Rajneeti But Dharmaneeti”: Ram Temple Chief Priest Defends ‘Pran Pratishtha’ Ceremony amid Rahul Gandhi’s Accusations

Amidst accusations from opposition parties, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, over the BJP-led centre’s alleged ‘politics’ in organizing the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, the Chief Priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, asserted today that it is not ‘Rajneeti’ (politics) but ‘Dharmaneeti’ (righteous path).

In an exclusive conversation with ANI, Acharya Satyendra Das stated, “It is not ‘Rajneeti’; it is ‘Dharmaneeti.’ They keep talking rubbish about the Prime Minister. The BJP will answer that. However, I belong to ‘Dharmaneeti.’ All I have to do is serve ‘Ram Bhakts.’ I am a priest, and I have nothing to do with politics.”

The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony for Shri Ram Lalla is scheduled for January 22, and it has become a topic of debate among political circles. While the opposition questions the timing of the event with the Lok Sabha polls on the horizon, Acharya Das emphasized that his role is strictly spiritual and ceremonial.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his views on the ceremony, claiming that the RSS and the BJP have turned it into a “completely political Narendra Modi function.” He further mentioned the difficulty for Congress leaders to attend a function designed around the Prime Minister and the RSS.

In response, the Congress has declined the invitation to the mega ceremony, branding it a “BJP/RSS” event. The political controversy surrounding the event has intensified as the Vedic rituals commenced on Tuesday, a week ahead of the main ceremony.

Speaking about the ongoing preparations, Acharya Das shared, “The rituals have started. All the procedures will be carried out by Acharyas, and later on January 22, the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla will be held at the grand temple in Ayodhya.”

“After the installation of the Ram Lalla idol, a ‘Puja’ will be performed, and the idol will be given a bath. Later, Ram Lalla will be decorated with ‘Mukut’ and ‘Kundals,’ followed by an ‘aarti’,” he added.

The Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram’s idol is set to take place at the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to be in attendance. A dedicated team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit will carry out the main rituals for the ceremony.