Bengaluru, Jan 11 (Reporter) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday backed the decision of senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi to abstain from Pran Prathisthan of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya temple because it has become a political event. "It is a rightful decision of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, our senior leader Sonia Gandhi, and the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Adhir Chowdhury, to not participate in the Ram Lalla installation ceremony in Ayodhya, and I support this decision," he said in a statement here. This 'political event', participated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sangh Parivar, shows disrespect to Lord Rama and the 140 crore people of the country, Siddaramaiah said. "This religious event, which should transcend caste, religion, and party lines and be conducted with devotion and respect, has been turned into a party event by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of the Sangh Parivar, showing disrespect to Lord Rama and the 140 crore people of our country. A religious ceremony that should have been conducted with reverence has been converted into a political campaign, a betrayal to all Hindus," he said. Siddaramaiah said the BJP and RSS leaders, who frequently lecture on Hindu culture, traditions, and values, are silent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's act of inaugurating the incomplete Ram Temple. "This silence exposes their hypocritical version of Hindutva," he said. Since the beginning of the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute, the Congress party has steadfastly maintained its position, and fully supported the construction of the Ram Temple, consistent with our respect for the court's verdict, Siddaramaiah said. "There is no dispute about this from our side. The Muslim community has also shown their commitment to the judiciary by accepting the court's decision," he said. However, organisations like the BJP, RSS, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which initially argued that the Ram Janmabhoomi issue was a matter of faith and not for the court to decide, promptly accepted the Supreme Court's verdict in their favour, showing the leaders' hypocritical behavior, Siddaramaiah said. The statement by the secretary of the Ram Mandir Trust that Shaivas and Shaktas have no rights in the Ram Temple has stirred controversy, he said. "If true, it is an insult to all Shaiva devotees," he said. The use of the Ram Temple for political gain, as criticised by 'four Shankaracharyas' who have boycotted the installation ceremony, has turned a unifying event into one that divides Hindus, which is unfortunate, Siddaramaiah said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is nearing a decade in office, lacks the confidence to win elections by showcasing his achievements and has rushed to inaugurate the incomplete Ram Temple during the election period to stir up Hindutva sentiment and overshadow his failures, Siddaramaiah said. Over the last 30-35 years, the political exploitation by the BJP and Sangh Parivar in the name of Lord Ram has been closely observed by the country's people, Siddaramaiah said. "I believe they will not fall for this false Hindutva trap again. People are now questioning the accounting of donations collected in the name of bricks," he said. The Congress is not against Hinduism but opposes untouchability, casteism, blind faith, and superstitions carried out in the name of religion, Siddaramaiah said. "We are completely against using religion for political purposes," he stated. The party does not have issues with Hinduism as practiced by many great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Kanakadasa, Narayana Guru, and Kuvempu. However, it continues to oppose the false Hindutva used by BJP and Sangh Parivar for their political motives, he said. "We do not calculate political gains or losses in this matter," CM said. "As a public representative, I have participated in hundreds of religious events, including temple inaugurations and renovations. I have built and worshipped a temple of Rama in my village with devotion. Similarly, I have participated and shown respect in religious events at mosques and churches. Upholding the constitutional principle of respect for all religions, I and our party are committed to it," he said. Respecting and worshipping Lord Rama daily is as much a religious duty as raising a voice against those who use Rama for political purposes, Siddaramaiah said. "No religion teaches hatred or rejection of another religion. I and our party are committed to the constitutional goal of creating a peaceful garden of all communities in our society," he said...////...