While RJD attacks BJP for raking up a religious issue, CM Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) demands more central funds for the Sita temple revamp in Sitamarhi
Gearing up for the Bihar Assembly polls slated for October-November this year, the ruling BJP is looking to make the revamp and renovation of the Sita temple in Sitamarhi in the Mithila region one of its major poll issues.
The BJP’s bid has triggered sharp reactions from across the political spectrum in the state. While the principal Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) said the BJP should not walk away with the credit of renovating the Sita temple, the BJP’s key ally Janata Dal (United), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has demanded more central funds for the project.
Addressing a “Shashwat Mithila Mahotsav 2025” event in Ahmedabad last Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said: “We have already built Ram temple at Ayodhya, now it is time to construct a grand Sita temple in Bihar (in Sitamarhi). This grand temple would give a message of the ideals Goddess Sita practised through her life. We would surely construct Maa Janki temple in Bihar. I invite people of Mithila to join me in Bihar where we would be camping ahead of the Assembly polls.”
A day later, RJD chief Lalu Prasad responded by claiming that “Bihar has no place for holding camps for Shah.”
Hitting out at the BJP, a senior RJD leader said it should not “run away with the credit of constructing the Sita temple”.
The restoration and renovation project of the Punaura Dham temple in Punaura village in Sitamarhi, which is believed to be Sita’s birthplace, was first sanctioned in September 2023 alongside a larger project to develop religious tourism. At the time, the JD(U) and the RJD were part of the ruling Mahagathbandhan alliance in the state. The JD(U) switched back to the NDA in January 2024, joining hands with the BJP again.
Now, the RJD camp believes that the BJP’s fresh pitch for the Sita temple might not yield electoral dividends to the NDA.
RJD spokesperson Sarika Paswan said: “Bihar is known for maintaining communal harmony. Our leader Lalu Prasad has always resisted communal politics. Playing up Sita symbolism may not work here at all.”
On its part, the BJP is trying to connect the Sita temple project in Sitamarhi with the Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya.
“We welcome Union Home Minister Shah’s statement. The NDA government (in Bihar) has been renovating Punaura Dham temple in Sitamarhi. It will be great to build a grand Sita temple in Sitamarhi after we built the Ram temple in Ayodhya,” said state BJP spokesman Asit Nath Tiwari.
The JD(U) said it was expecting more funds from the Centre for the Sita temple project following Shah’s statement.
“The Sita temple renovation project is a state government project. Now that Union Home Minister Shah talked about the temple, we do expect Central assistance. Goddess Sita has been associated with the cumulative pride of our societal values. It is good that the Centre is also planning a road project to link Ayodhya with Sitamarhi,” JD(U) chief spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar said.
Bihar Congress spokesperson Gyan Ranjan Gupta charged that Shah has been trying “unnecessarily” to play up the Sita temple project. “The central government has nothing to do with the project. As for Shah’s announcements of camping in Bihar, let him do so. He would only face tough questions on unfulfilled promises for Bihar,” Gupta said.