New Delhi [India], November 7 : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar on Saturday said political parties and leaders should not politicise visits to temples or religious worship, while reacting to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav's proposed visit to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Kumar said religious visits should be guided by devotion and the desire for peace, prosperity and public well-being, adding that politicising faith was unconstitutional.
"Political parties and leaders should not politicise temple visits or religious worship. We seek blessings through devotion for peace, prosperity and well-being. Politicising faith is unconstitutional," he said.
Meanwhile, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal questioned the circumstances surrounding the announcement of Yadav's proposed visit and said its actualisation would depend on the response from sections he described as anti-Ram.
"Akhilesh himself did not make this announcement; it was made by his associates. Whether he actually goes or not will depend on the reaction from the jihadi community—the anti-Ram elements—and what the impact might be on his vote bank," Bansal said.
Bansal further said that merely visiting the Ram Mandir would not be sufficient and called on the Samajwadi Party chief to make what he described as firm resolutions before undertaking the visit.
"Merely visiting the Ram Mandir won't suffice. Before going, he needs to make some firm resolutions: how long will he continue to align himself with the jihadi faction? When will he finally abandon a mindset that burns the Ramcharitmanas, casts aspersions on Goswami Tulsidas, attacks our sacred scriptures, and labels Brahmins as enemies?" he said.
He added that a temple visit would be meaningful only if it was accompanied by sincerity.
"A visit to the temple will only be meaningful if one remains free from deceit, guile, and malice," Bansal said.