"Pulwama was projected in 2019 to get votes, and now Lord Ram": Karnataka minister

Karnataka Minister for Planning and Statistics, D. Sudhakar on Saturday said that "to get votes in the last Lok Sabha elections, the BJP government projected the Pulwama terror attack, and this time, Lord Ram is being projected".

"Ram Mandir's inauguration is a stunt. People are not fools. We have been made fools twice. I am confident that we won't be fooled for the third time," he told reporters.

"Ram Mandir is being inaugurated ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. I and Congress MLA Raghu Murthy contributed to Ram Mandir. We have also donated bricks. Lord Ram is for everyone. The inauguration of the temple is a gimmick during the time of the election," Sudhakar said.

The minister further said that the BJP was using religious beliefs to garner votes.

"Where was Ram Mandir during the last Lok Sabha elections?" he questioned.