CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has turned down an invitation to attend the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the party said on Tuesday while underlining its belief that religion is a personal choice.

"Our policy is to respect religious beliefs and the right of each individual to pursue their belief. Religion is a personal choice not to be converted into an instrument for political gain. Comrade Sitaram Yechury will not attend the ceremony despite receiving an invitation to do so," the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said in a post on X.

In a statement, the politburo of the Left party said Yechury received an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

"The CPI(M) policy has been to respect religious beliefs and safeguarding the right of every individual to pursue their belief. It believes that religion is a personal choice not to be converted into an instrument for political gain. Therefore, we will not be attending the ceremony," the party said.

It added that it is "most unfortunate" that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have converted a religious ceremony into a State-sponsored event directly involving the prime minister, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and other government functionaries.

"A fundamental principle of governance in India as reiterated by the Supreme Court is that the State in India, under the Constitution, should have no religious affiliation. This is being violated by the ruling regime in the organisation of the event," the CPI(M) said.

The Ram temple will be inaugurated on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and more than 6,000 people expected to attend the grand "Pran Pratistha" ceremony.

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