Thousands gathered in India's holy city of Ayodhya for the inauguration of the grand Hindu temple, Ram Mandir, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking a national holiday but sparking controversy. While some Hindu leaders refused to attend due to the temple's incomplete construction, opposition accused Modi of exploiting Hinduism for political gain amid his reelection campaign. The temple's construction, atop a site with a demolished 16th-century Muslim mosque, has reignited religious tensions in a country striving for secularism. The temple, aiming to be the Hindu equivalent of the Vatican, has already transformed Ayodhya, raising questions about pushback and implications for a secular India.
Modi opens grand Hindu temple with eye on India’s upcoming elections
A temple to one of Hinduism's holiest deities has opened in Ayodhya, India. Here's what it means
Modi Opens a Giant Temple in a Triumph for India’s Hindu Nationalists - The New York Times
