Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Will SP chief Akhilesh Yadav attend consecration ceremony? Here's what he said

Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said 'bhagwan ka bulawa ayega to jarur jayenge (I will attend the event when God calls).  He was responding to a query on whether he will be present at the Ayodhya Ram Temple's January 22 consecration event.

"It is God's ceremony. The CM cannot be bigger than God. Those called by lord Ram will definitely go (to Ayodhya)," he said. 

"If the chief minister is saying these things then it means that the BJP leaders are making a list of who will be the guest... who will come... who will not come.. This is the program of Lord Shri Ram. These people (BJP) should not interfere in this. Whoever God calls will go," he added.

Meanwhile, organisers began distributing worshipped 'akshat' -- rice grains mixed with turmeric and ghee -- on New Year's Day and will continue up to January 15, a week before the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple. The temple trust's general secretary, Champat Rai, said the consecration ceremony will take place at 12:20 pm on January 22 and urged people across the country to celebrate the occasion as a festival.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a few days ago, appealed to the people to light special 'diyas' in their homes on January 22 to celebrate the day of 'pran pratishtha' at the Ram temple as 'Diwali'.

• Ayodhya
• Samajwadi Party
• Akhilesh Yadav