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‘Reassure people if error in population count in Ayodhya inadvertent’: Tharoor to PM Modi

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Sohini Sarkar
Aug 06, 2020 11:49 PM IST

A day before, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, had also lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that neither Lord Ram nor the philosophy of Hinduism belonged to the ruling party alone and the appeal of both was universal.

Citing United Nations data, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought a clarification about his omission of 8 crore people yesterday during his speech when he had congratulated 130 crore Indians on the ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

“PM Modi congratulated 130 crore Indians when he spoke at the Ram Mandir yesterday. But India’s population is estimated at 1,38,00,04,385 in mid-2020, a/c to UN data. An omission of 8 crore people is worrying to many, after CAA/NRC. If inadvertent, a correction would be reassuring,” Tharoor said in a tweet, hinting that the omission may not be a mistake.

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He stressed that after the new and controversial citizenship law, which had triggered large-scale protests across India; such an omission may be a cause of worry for a part of the country’s population. He urged the Prime Minister to reassure people if the figure had been inadvertent.

A day before, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, had also lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that neither Lord Ram nor the philosophy of Hinduism belonged to the ruling party alone and the appeal of both was universal. The articulate Congress leader emphasized that Lord Ram belonged to all of humanity and had also invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of the legendary Hindu king, who was born in Ayodhya, according to the epic Ramyana.

“He is the ideal man whose image is deeply etched in the hearts & minds of millions. Gandhiji always sang his hymns & died w/ “Hey Ram” on his lips. He talked about a Ram Rajya where all would live in peace & prosperity. Can’t let His name be hijacked!” Tharoor had tweeted on Wednesday.

The Congress leader had also clarified that the Congress party had never been opposed to the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya, but it was against the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992.

A day earlier, India witnessed the historic ceremony of the Bhoomi Pujan in Ayodhya with celebrations panning out across states. The much-awaited foundation stone laying ceremony for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was concluded by PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday afternoon.

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