Kannur: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran on Thursday said it is the AICC (All-India Congress Committee) that should take a final call on whether the party's leaders can attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

When asked about the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama's critical piece in its mouthpiece 'Suprabhatham', Sudhakaran said he had nothing to comment on it except that it was the religious body's opinion and that they had every right to express their thoughts on the matter.

Talking to the media in Kannur, he said: "It is not the KPCC but the AICC that has to take the final call. If you keep asking us, all we can do is give our opinion on the matter. For more details, you (media) can go to Delhi and ask them."

Samastha had accused the Congress of adopting a soft Hindutva stance on the matter. A sharply worded editorial in its mouthpiece 'Suprabhatham' was a challenge thrown at the Congress. "Leaders like Sitaram Yechury have realised that the Ram temple inauguration is a litmus test for transforming India into a 'Hindu Rashtra'. That is why the moment he received the invite, Yechury could turn it down with his head held high. It is this courage and commitment that those who swear by secularism and democracy expect from leaders like Sonia Gandhi." 

The Samastha has been growing closer to the CPM long before the Congress looked utterly clueless about an invitation to Ayodhya.

Congress decision will come soon: Shashi Tharoor
Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor said the Congress will decide on participating in the ceremony soon. "The CPM subscribes to no religious faith. Hence, it would be easy for them to take such a call. We see Hindutva as a political ideology. It is in no way related to Hinduism. We are neither the CPM nor the BJP. So, give us (Congress) some time to make our own decision," said Tharoor.

Earlier, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury had rejected the invitation to attend the consecration ceremony pointing out the event was an attempt by the BJP to mix politics with religion. It was in this context that Tharoor made his remark.