New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole on Friday stoked a fresh controversy as he made a call for the purification of the Ram Temple if the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance comes to power.

Patole’s remarks on Ayodhya’s Ram Temple have given fresh ammo to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), besides escalating the conundrum that the party already finds itself steeped in.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t follow the right rituals before performing Pran Pratistha ceremony. The Shankaracharyas also vented their disagreement with it. People also want purification of the temple,” Patole told media persons.

When probed further on the mode of purification, Patole said that the Shankaracharyas, the biggest priests in the Hindu religion will lead the Pran Pratistha ceremony in a way that is acceptable as per Hindu customs.

He claimed that the Shankaracharyas had opposed the Pran Pratistha ceremony then also but the BJP and Prime Minister ignored it.

The remarks by the Maharashtra Congress Chief are set to trigger a fresh row and invite stern backlash from the BJP.

Pramod Krishnam, who quit the grand old party recently over its anti-Sanatan stand also slammed Nana Patole for insulting and derogatory remarks.

“This is an absurd and ridiculous statement. By taking Lord Ram’s name, one becomes pure. All our sins get washed away by taking his name. What does Congress want to say by purification?,” Krishnam asked.

He also advised the Congress to first get rid of their hatred against Lord Ram before talking about purification.

“If Congress pursues such rhetoric, this will spell doom for the party,” he added.