Some Congress leaders 'disappointed' over party's reaction to Ram Temple groundbreaking ceremony

Several Congress leaders have expressed their unease and disappointment with the way their party has reacted to the bhoomi poojan ceremony organised for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, The Indian Express reported.

While these leaders are not against the construction of the temple as the Supreme Court verdict favoured it, they also feel that some leaders in the grand old party should have reflected on the sentiment of the minorities.

"I have no problem if any of my colleagues celebrates one part of the judgment. (But) I would expect and hope that when the other part of the judgment is implemented that they will celebrate that too. And that is not just for my own party but also for the Prime Minister," former Union Minister Salman Khurshid said.

Former minority affairs minister K Rahman Khan said he was disappointed with the 'whole change' that is taking place in the Congress by 'forgetting its values'. Former Rajya Sabha MP Rashid Alvi also expressed his disappointment over the Congress not questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi for performing the groundbreaking ceremony and "violating his Constitutional oath".

"There are voices dissenting from the party’s voice — and I am one of them. My voice is different, especially from that of Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath," All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary and a legislator from Bihar, Shakeel Ahmed Khan said.

Khan was referring to Nath's statement when he had said that it was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who had opened the locks of the then Babri Masjid and that no one should take credit for the Ram Temple.

"Any person who is sensitive and committed to secularism needs to say… let us respect the judgment in toto. The judgment says a temple and a mosque (should be built). If somebody is building the temple, you give them your support. If somebody is building a mosque, you should support (them too)… but the mosque is…delayed. They (Muslim side) haven’t come forward," Khurshid added.