Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called on people to uphold the nation’s secular credentials and the Constitution by refraining from participating in the inauguration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya. Expressing concern over the thinning line between religion and the State, Vijayan highlighted the departure from the past when constitutional office-bearers avoided participating in religious events. Emphasizing secularism as the soul of the democratic republic, he stressed that religion is a private affair, and the Constitution ensures the right to freedom of conscience for all. Vijayan urged the occasion to promote harmony and common brotherhood transcending religious, linguistic, and regional diversities.