Bhopal, Jan 12 (IANS): The oppositon Congress in Madhya Pradesh has criticised the ruling BJP, and the VHP, ahead of the Ram Mandir inauguration at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on January 22, saying the saffron party was trying to make the occasion "an event".

The leaders of the BJP have appealed to people to celebrate the occasion on the scale of Diwali.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav along with some of his cabinet ministers and the state BJP leaders joined a meeting with RSS functionaries in Sehore to look into the state's preparations on the occasion of the 'pran-pratishtha'.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Kantilal Bhuria has claimed the BJP and VHP were "misusing funds" collected for Ram temple.

"A huge amount of money was donated for building the Ram temple and the BJP and VHP misused it for their own purpose," Bhuria, a former Union Minister, said on Thursday.

He said the BJP should provide details of every single rupee collected as a donation for the same.

Former Madhya Pradesh CM and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh has accused the BJP and the VHP of insulting the Shankaracharyas, who have objected to the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Referring to VHP leader Champat Rai, who was made the head of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra trust, the Congress leader questioned why Nirmohi Akhada's rights were taken away.

"We object to the fact that Shankaracharys are being insulted. What is VHP's right on Ram temple? We have made donations for Ram temple. (Former PM) Narasimha Rao had made 'Ramalay Nyas' with all four Shankaracharyas," he said.