Uddhav Thackeray To Visit Ayodhya Today
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Saturday. Thackeray will be accompanied by members of his family on his visit to the historic temple of Ram Lalla. Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks have reportedly announced their decision to accompany their party supremo to Ayodhya.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister's visit to the historic birthplace of Lord Ram comes weeks within the formation of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust by the Centre on the directions of the Supreme Court. Earlier, it was reported that Uddhav Thackeray would participate in the Maha Aarti on the banks of the river Sarayu, but he is reported to have decided against this step in view of the COVID-19 scare. Health officials have cautioned against large gatherings and therefore, Uddhav Thackeray is reported to have decided to return to Mumbai on Saturday evening.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister had earlier announced his decision to visit Ayodhya. The Sena had even invited leaders from his alliance partners, Congress and the Nationalist Congress party NCP you to accompany him. The Shiv Sena has demanded that a representative from its party be included in the freshly constituted trust for the construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.
Thackeray, accompanied by his son Aaditya Thackeray and 18 party MPs had visited Ayodhya in June. The Shiv Sena group had offered prayers at the Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya. After Supreme Court delivered the Ayodhya judgment clearing the obstacles in the path of the construction of Ram Mandir, the Shiv Sena put off its Ayodhya visit. This was on account of the prolonged negotiations during the course of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government formation in Maharashtra.