TMC MP Kirti Azad has flatly refused to visit the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, as he is hurt by Lord Rama's decision to make Mata Sita undergo Agnipariksha and abandon her. Hailing from Mithila, Azad considers himself a devotee of Goddess Kali and Durga and questioned if not visiting the temple questions his Hindu faith.
ASANSOL. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from Bardhaman-Durgapur parliamentary constituency, Kirti Azad, has refused to visit the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He stated that he will not go to Ayodhya because Mata Sita is like a mother to him and he has roots in Mithila. Following his statement, a political debate has sparked over the issue of Mata Sita's Agnipariksha and her expulsion from the palace by Lord Rama. MP Kirti Azad said, "Why only Lord Rama? Among the 3.2 billion deities of the country, is He the only deity?" His father was a devotee of Goddess Durga. He himself is a devotee of Kali. So is he not a Hindu? He said that he will never go to the Ram Mandir because in his view, He is not 'Purushottam'. Many people in the country consider Him Purushottam, which is their perspective. He said that Lord Rama made Mata Sita undergo Agnipariksha. Even after passing the test, He not only left His wife but also banished Mata Sita to the forest. Her two young children grew up with their mother. He said that everyone has the freedom to worship their chosen deity, so why doesn't he have this right? He further stated that Mata Sita was the daughter of Mithila and is like a mother to every person in Mithila. The TMC MP said that he worships Maa Kamakhya, Maa Kali, and Dakshina Kali. He also visits the Kali Mandir at Gole Market in Delhi and the Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata. He questioned whether not visiting the Ram Mandir means he is not a Hindu. Kirti Azad's statement has come amidst BJP's reaction to Akhilesh Yadav's proposed Ram Mandir visit. His statement has sparked a new debate regarding religious faith, Sita's exile in the Ramayana, and political rhetoric.
