Hours after CPIM’s Politburo member Brinda Karat clarified that no leader from her party will attend the Ram Temple inauguration, a section of the media badgered her party colleague Sitaram Yechury for comments.

A posse of reporters shot queries at the CPIM general secretary in Delhi on Tuesday. “Will you go?” asked one. “Sir, answer one question,” said another. 

“I have already stated it. I have specified the party line,” said Yechury, referring to a quote he gave to another news outlet, his back to the camera, as the reporters followed him.

Meanwhile, in the Times Now newsroom, the “breaking news” ticker read “Yechury refuses to comment” and “then remains defiant”.

In the evening, the CPIM issued a statement, specifying reasons behind the party’s decision to skip the event.

The CPIM Politburo said it believes that “religion is a personal choice not to be converted into an instrument for political gain”. It said it is “most unfortunate that the BJP and RSS have converted a religious ceremony into a state-sponsored event directly involving the Prime Minister, the UP chief minister and other government functionaries”. It also said a “fundamental principle of governance” in India “reiterated by the Supreme Court” that the state “should have no religious affiliation” is being violated.

But the BJP hit out at the CPIM’s position. Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi told ANI: “I don’t find this surprising because the organisers invited everyone but only those will reach whom Ram has called.”

The primetime debates followed.

On her show Mahabharat on Republic Bharat, Sucherita Kukreti took a jibe at Sitaram Yechury’s name. “Maine kaha ki badi vichitra ye baat lagti hai ki jin neta ke naam mein Sita aur Ram hain wo Pran Pratishtha mein aane se mana karte hain,” said the anchor. “This is very strange that a leader who has Sita and Ram in his name has refused to show up for the Pran Pratishtha.”

The inauguration ceremony is titled as the Pran Pratishtha Mahotsav.

On Times Now’s Newshour, Pranesh Roy noted that while the temple committee has stated that it’s a temple for all, “leaders appear unwilling to keep politics aside”, referring to Yechury. 

But on CNN-News18’s Hard Facts, anchor Toya Singh reiterated that the CPIM’s refusal is part of the party’s long-standing line.

As the temple’s inauguration is being seen as a milestone in the politics of contemporary India, there has been considerable media interest in the run-up to the event. At times even overshadowing other issues of public interest. 

For example, the day Sakshi Malik quit wrestling over BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh’s aide being elected as the Wrestling Federation of India president, on Times Now Navbharat, editor Navika Kumar’s Sawal Public Ka was only about the Ram Mandir inauguration. In her Newshour on Times Now, she chose the same topic, with a different panel, asking if the INDIA alliance will embrace the temple.

In the run-up to the big inauguration, Newslaundry is also on the ground to understand what it means for Ayodhya. If you like our work, contribute to our new Sena project.