Unidentified miscreants vandalized a Congress flag outside the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday, January 15. Party workers reported the incident, where their flag was snatched by unidentified individuals outside the Ram Mandir premises. Congress Mahila in charge Renu Rai condemned the act by saying that the Ram Temple belongs to everyone. "Some anti-social elements snatched our party flag and abused our party workers. This is a shameful and condemnable act. The temple ( Ram temple) belongs to everyone," said Ayodhya Congress Mahila in-charge Renu Rai.
In a video shared by the news agency ANI, it is apparent that unknown individuals snatched the Congress flag while chanting 'Jai Shree Ram' and engaged in a verbal confrontation with Congress workers outside the premises of the Ram Temple. As Ayodhya prepares for the historic event, the Congress finds itself at the centre of a storm, dealing not only with internal dissent but also facing external scrutiny for its handling of the Ram Temple issue.
Meanwhile, the political landscape in Ayodhya is heating up as the Congress leadership, grappling with internal divisions, recently announced its decision regarding the much-anticipated Ram Temple consecration ceremony on January 22. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have reportedly "respectfully declined" the invitation to attend the event. The decision has triggered a fresh wave of controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar questioning the Congress's motives.