Invitations for Lord Ram temple event should be socially inclusive: Jitendra Awhad

Nagpur: NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Jitendra Awhad on Wednesday said invitations being sent out for the forthcoming Lord Ram temple consecration ceremony should be "socially inclusive".

Speaking to reporters here, the former Maharashtra minister alleged the day (January 22) chosen for the consecration of the idol has no connection with Lord Ram's life.

"Is January 22 a Ramnavmi? No. The temple in Ayodhya is incomplete but still pranpratishtha of the idol is being done. Real issues like inflation, unemployment etc are not talked about ahead of elections. The invitations sent out (for the consecration ceremony) smacks of caste bias," he alleged.

He said B R Ambedkar had challenged the discriminatory "caste system" by visiting the famous Kalaram temple in Nashik.

Awhad asked why President Droupadi Murmu was not invited to the temple event.

The NCP leader had recently stoked a controversy by saying that Lord Ram was a "non-vegetarian who hunted animals". He later expressed regret over his remarks.