Former Union Minister Milind Deora slammed the Congress party for declining the invitation for the historic Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event on 22nd January. In an exclusive interview with News18, the Former Congress leader stated that Ram Mandir’s inauguration was not a political event. He asserted that Congress’ decision to skip the consecration ceremony underscores that it has lost cultural connection with the people of India.
Speaking with News18, Deora said, “The Congress has certainly lost its cultural connect with the people of India. In my opinion, the Ram Temple inauguration is the issue that has been settled after 500 years by the Supreme Court of India. This issue is not a political event. It’s not an event for the Hindu community or the Muslim community. It is an event for the world. It’s an event for humanity. The story of Ramayana transcends religion. It transcends nationality. You can argue it transcends even species. It’s a spiritual story. It’s a moral story. I don’t know why the party did what it did.”
Notably, hours after resigning from the Congress party, Milind Deora on 14th January shared a letter listing reasons why he ended his decades-long association with Congress and joined Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. In a stinging criticism of the current Congress leadership, in his letter, Deora accused the Congress party of creating a division on caste and an artificial North-South divide while brandishing Business houses as ‘anti-national’.
On the same day, he asserted that opposing Modi is the only agenda Congress has. He had said that if Modi says that Congress is a very good party, the Congress would oppose it.
Further in the Interview with News18, Deora also criticised the Congress party for “not understanding the aspirations of young India”.
He noted, “Economically, India is changing today. Indians are aware. Common people, whether they are highly educated or not highly educated, know what’s happening. Everyone has a smartphone. Everyone has an internet connection. Everyone has WhatsApp. Everyone has YouTube. Everyone has access to information. People are aware of what’s happening around the world. People have aspirations. People want to do some things. People want India to move forward. The Congress should have aligned with those aspirations with a more constructive agenda.”
According to him, Congress has deviated from its ideological and organisational roots, Deora had claimed that Congress lacks appreciation for honesty and constructive criticism. Additionally, the Congress party has not only failed to attain power but also it has failed to effectively serve as a constructive opposition at the centre.
He told News18 that he had failed to convince the Congress leadership that it should not deviate from its core stand including on issues like the Uniform Civil Code and Article 370.
He added, “I was unable to convince the powers that be that the Congress should maintain its stand on certain issues. It shouldn’t deviate from its core ideology. UCC, Article 370… these are the issues that the Congress espoused back in the day and look at where the party has moved today.”
He admitted that his decision to resign from the Congress party’s primary membership was deeply emotional. He stated that he aspires to collaborate with a leader who values constructive ideas, acknowledges his credentials, and aims to leverage his abilities in Parliament for the progress of the nation and state.
He said, “Eknath Shinde ji believes in my potential and embodies the belief that hard work can achieve the impossible.”
