Congress minister orders Karnataka temples to perform ‘special’ pooja on January 22

Congress leader and Karnataka’s Endowment (Muzrai) Minister, Ramalinga Reddy, has issued directives for temples in the state to perform special poojas on January 22, the day of consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The installation ceremony for the Lord Ram idol is scheduled to take place in Ayodhya between 12:29 pm and 1:32 pm on January 22. Minister Reddy has instructed all Muzrai temples to conduct Maha Mangalarati and special poojas in observance of this significant event.

Taking to X, Reddy wrote, “I have instructed to offer special pooja in all Mujarai temples of the state on January 22, when the idol of Lord Rama will be installed in Ayodhya Ram Mandir.”

This initiative aims to involve temples across Karnataka in commemorating the auspicious occasion of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir idol installation.

Earlier, the Congress high command had given a green signal to party leaders who are willing to attend the inauguration ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, according to sources.

Sources said that Congress President Mallikarujun Kharge indicated that the invite to him and Sonia Gandhi came considering their position in Parliament as Leader of the Opposition (Rajya Sabha) and Chairperson of the Congress parliamentary board, respectively.

Kharge said that the party had no diktat for the leaders and that anybody who wanted to offer prayers at the temple was free to go, sources said.