Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday, January 13, released a video listing out the reasons behind the party’s decision not to attend the Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya on January 22. He said that religion was a sacred relationship between the soul and the almighty and that the inauguration of the temple was politicisation of religion.

In the 53-second-video, Yechury said, “My name is Sitaram and that’s why I know what religion means. It is a sacred relationship between the soul and the almighty. And who will that almighty be, that can be decided only by our soul. It can be Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh or Buddhist – whatever you want it to be. But that decision will be taken by our soul. Once that decision is taken, it becomes faith. There is no question of anyone else interfering with it. This is why there is a clear line between religion and politics. Crossing that line amounts to crossing the Lakshman Rekha. What is happening in the name of temple inauguration in Ayodhya is nothing but politicisation of religion. We oppose it and therefore, we are not going to be a part of it. We respect religion, but making it a political tool is something that should not be done.”

CPI(M) was the first party to decline the temple inauguration invitation on December 26, wherein Yechury said that the event was nothing but a “state-sponsored event with the Prime Minister, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and others holding Constitutional positions.” It was followed by parties such as CPI, Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and the National Congress Party. On his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav thanked the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra and said that he would visit the temple with his family after the Pran Prathishtha ceremony on January 22.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s efforts to mobilise support for the temple inauguration suffered a setback after four Shankaracharyas decided not to take part in the event. Shankaracharya Swami Shri Nischalananda Saraswati, who is among the four spiritual leaders, had said that the ceremony had turned into a political show.