BENGALURU: Criticising the BJP for "politicizing" Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that Lord Ram does not belong to any political party, adding that Congress is also "devoted" to Lord Ram.

"Sri Ramachandra should not be confined to any political party's agenda. We refute the narrative that we are against Sri Ramachandra. We are also devoted to Lord Ram," Siddaramaiah said after inaugurating a temple in Hirenralli dedicated to Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Lord Hanuman, and Lord Laxman.

CM Siddaramaiah said that the temple was built not for political reasons but out of genuine devotion to Lord Ram. He said that while he is planning to visit Ayodhya in the future, the essence of Lord Ram remains the same everywhere, and the act of building the temple in Mahadevpur is not a political statement. Highlighting the ongoing events in Ayodhya, it was noted that not all states observed a holiday, and the central government announced only a half-day holiday.

The CM criticized the BJP for "falsely" portraying opposition parties as against Lord Ram. He also accused the BJP of trying to obstruct the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra that is currently travelling through Assam. Accusing the BJP of having malicious intentions, he alleged that the BJP is hindering a peaceful padayatra.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday who arrived at the Batadrava Than, the birthplace of revered Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva, in Assam, took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he was denied permission to enter the shrine.

"We want to visit the temple (Batadrava Than). What crime have I committed that I cannot visit the temple?..." Rahul Gandhi said. "I want to go to the temple, what is wrong with this? Earlier we were invited but now the administration is saying that we cannot go. "Aaj sirf ek vyakti mandir mein ja sakta hain..."(Perhaps today only one person can go to the temple)," the Congress leader said in an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.