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As the grand idol of Shri Ram Lalla was unveiled for devotees across the world on Monday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday extended warm greetings to fellow countrymen on the occasion while also engaging in 'seva' and serving food at a langar (community feast) organised in Amritsar.
The 'langar seva' was held at the Children's Park in the Madan Mohan Malaviya Road area of Company Bagh in Amritsar. Taking to his official handle on social media platform X, the SAD president said, "On the auspicious occasion of Prana Pratishtha taking place at Shri Ram Temple Ayodhya, Anil Joshi and other leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal attended the Langar Seva in Amritsar today." "Today I want to congratulate the entire people of the country and abroad on the pratishtha ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla ji. In our country, people belong to a variety of ethnicities and religions and the greatest happiness is that people of different faiths are happy at each other's festivals," the former Punjab deputy chief minister added. Remembering his late father and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, the SAD chief said, "When Prakash Singh Badal was the chief Minister, he used to go and celebrate each festival with the people. I also want to say that we all should come together and join in the celebration of festivals of different ethnicities." In a swipe at Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Badal said, "Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has no respect for anyone's religious sentiments. The CM of Punjab ignored people's demand for a religious holiday on the day of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Shri Ram Lalla." Meanwhile, on Monday, several temples and gurdwara committees across Punjab and the country immersed in celebrations and organised langars to mark the grand opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. addressing the dignitaries invited to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, PM Modi said the unveiling of the Ram Lalla idol is not only a moment of triumph after a prolonged struggle but also one of humility. "This is not just a moment of celebration for us all but also one to reflect the coming of age of the Indian society. This occasion is as much about triumph as it is about humility. The world is replete with instances of countries that faced a lot of difficulties resolving historic wrongs and injustices. However, the way we untied the knots and resolved all outstanding issues gives us hope that our future is going to be more beautiful and fulfilling than our past," PM Modi said. The PM said that the construction of the temple, which some feared would set off a firestorm, now stands as a symbol of peace, patience, harmony and integration. "There was also a time when some people used to say 'Ram Mandir bana toh aag lag jaegi' (the making of the Ram Temple would set off a firestorm). Such people lacked an understanding of the purity of our society, the spirit that binds us all. This majestic abode of Shri Ram Lalla will now stand as a symbol of peace, patience, mutual harmony and social unity. The construction of this temple did not set off a fire but exuded a positive energy that has been infectious for us all," he added. He added that the Ayodhya temple also testifies to a renewed national consciousness of Lord Ram and his place in our everyday lives. (ANI)
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