NEW DELHI, Jan 16 : Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP leaders participated in ‘Sundar Kand’ recital programmes held in all the 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi and sought the blessings of Lord Ram and Hanuman for peace and progress of the country, just a week ahead of the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony in Ayodhya.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, councillors and other party leaders along with local people attended the ‘Sundar Kand’ programmes in all the 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi.
Speaking at the ‘Sundar Kand’ recital programme at a temple in Rohini, Kejriwal sought happiness, peace and progress of all people.
In the over 1.5 hour-long programme, the chief minister accompanied by his wife Sunita Kejriwal took part in recital of ‘Sundar Kand’ of the Ramcharitmanas and performed a havan.
“I pray to Lord Ram and Hanuman that all your wishes are fulfilled and they bless you with happiness and prosperity as well as happiness and progress in Delhi and the country,” he said on the occasion.
The AAP on Monday announced to hold ‘Sundar Kand’ and ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ recital programmes in all the assembly constituencies, wards and zones on different Tuesdays every month.
In an apparent attempt to counter the BJP’s focus on the Ram temple consecration ceremony, AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday announced the party’s plan to hold ‘Sundar Kand’ recital programmes across the national capital on Tuesdays. ‘Sundar Kand’ is one of the chapters in the Ramayana devoted to Lord Hanuman.
The consecration ceremony will be held at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present there.
The Delhi BJP leaders, who have been busy with various programmes ahead of the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony have questioned the timing of the AAP’s ‘Sundar Kand’ programme.
Delhi BJP secretary Bansuri Swaraj charged that the AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, earlier used to talk against the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya.
“Now, Kejriwal and his party is reciting ‘Sundar Kand’ keeping in view the Lok Sabha polls later this year which is plain political opportunism,” she alleged.
The AAP has planned to hold ‘Sundar Kand’ and Hanuman Chalisa recital programmes at over 2,600 places across the assembly constituencies, municipal wards and zones on Tuesdays of each month.
In the past also, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had been very assertive about its religious leanings that gave ammunition to its critics, who charged it of pedalling “soft Hindutva”.
Kejriwal had in his Dussehra speech last year asserted that Lord Ram was the ideal for the AAP and his government was trying to serve the people taking inspiration from the ideals of “Ram Rajya”.
In 2022, he suggested printing the images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh on currency notes to boost the economy.
The Delhi chief minister has not yet received any formal invitation for the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony, sources in the AAP have said.
Kejriwal has, however, received a letter informing that he should block his dates and that a formal invite along with details would follow, a party source had said.
The AAP has not made it clear so far whether Kejriwal will attend the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya or not.
Bharadwaj, who attended the ‘Sundar Kand’ recital programme at a temple in his constituency Greater Kailash, said this is non political and there is an open invitation to all, including the people from the BJP and the Congress, to join and pray to Lord Hanuman. (PTI)
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