The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s nationwide celebration of the grand opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya evoked a mixed response among members of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

While the Congress, CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) hit out at the BJP for “politicising” the event, other parties like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) joined celebrations across the country.

In a statement, CPI(M) leader and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the “line that demarcates religion and state seems to be getting thinner and thinner.

“As our first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru has often opined, Indian secularism means the separation of religion and state. We even have a strong tradition of maintaining that separation. However, of late, the line that demarcates religion and state seems to be getting thinner and thinner. This is a major departure from the times when our constitutional office bearers have been cautioned from taking part in religious events, as it would cast aspersions on our credentials as a secular state,” Vijayan, whose party was one of the first to decline the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s invite for the ceremony, said.

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He also said that “we have come to a point in time when the inauguration of a religious place of worship in the country is being celebrated as a state event”. He exhorted the public to remain committed to the Constitution’s secular credentials by declining to participate in the celebrations. “Most of us have been invited to participate in the rituals, by the trust in charge of it. As those who have pledged to preserve and protect our Constitution, let us reaffirm our commitment to its secular character, by declining to participate in the event, upholding our Constitutional responsibilities,” he said.

Congress leader and Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah criticised the BJP for “politicising” the event and said the Congress is also “devoted” to Lord Ram. “There should not be any politics on Ram because Sriramachandra belongs to everyone. He is not God to the BJP alone. He is every Hindu’s God,” he said.

TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee labelled the BJP as “anti-women” for “omitting” Goddess Sita from their discourse about Lord Ram.

Other opposition leaders, however, took part in various events to mark the consecration ceremony.

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“Hearty congratulations and best wishes to all of you on this sacred occasion of the installation of Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram in the grand temple. Hail Siya Ram,” AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal said in a post on X.

“I’m so glad that Ram Lalla’s idol has been consecrated. Last week, we conducted Sundarkand recitations at many places in Delhi. From now onwards, we will organise Sundarkand recitals on the first Tuesday of every month,” he added.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said the Lord resides in the hearts of those who respect customs, ethics and decorum. “Everyone will follow the path of Ramrajya which was envisioned by Maryada Purushottam ji, where the poor do not remain sad, the youth are happy, move ahead and everyone is happy,” he said in Lucknow.

“Today in Srikshetra Ayodhya, the idol of Lord Sri Rama is being worshipped. In this background, the festival is being celebrated across the country today,” Nationalist Congress Party’s Maharashtra unit chief Jayant Patil said.