Lokmat News Network
Nashik, JAN 6
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday, January 6, said he and his party leaders will visit Kalaram temple in Nashik on Monday, January 22, and perform a Maha Aarti on the Godavari river bank.
"The consecration of Ayodhya Ram temple is a matter of pride. On January 22, we will visit Kalaram temple at 6.30 pm where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sane Guruji had once staged protests. At 7.30 pm, we will perform a Maha Aarti on the banks of the Godavari river," Thackeray said.
The consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya will be held on January 22. Thackeray further said that on January 23, the birth anniversary of his father and Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, the party will hold a rally in Nashik. A war of words had erupted between Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP leaders over the invitation to the consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Uddhav said that January 22 is an auspicious day as the Ram Temple consecration will take place in Ayodhya. He said he would visit the Kalaram temple where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sane Guruji had staged a satyagraha in 1930 to give Dalits access to temples.
“It is a moment of joy as Ram temple is being consecrated in Ayodhya after a struggle of over 25-30 years…hence, on the same day, we will take Darshan of Lord Ram at Kalaram temple in Nashik. This is the same temple for which Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sane Guruji had to struggle to allow entry (for Dalits) into the temple, saying Ram belongs to everyone,” Uddhav said.
“I do not want to get into who has been invited and who is not for the Ram temple consecration because it is a matter of pride and faith for us. We are glad about the Ram Temple and I have been requesting that it should remain a matter of faith and not politics. We will go to Ayodhya whenever we wish to,” the SS (UBT) chief added.
On January 23, the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) will organise a camp and a rally in Nashik in the evening, Thackeray said.
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War of words
Allegations have been made that former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was deliberately excluded from the invitation list when the invitation letters were being distributed. MP Sanjay Raut alleged that the BJP did not want Uddhav to attend the ceremony.
Following this, Minister of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Girish Mahajan taunted that Thackeray is just a Member of Legislative Council. His party has no name and symbol. Thus, he may not have received the invitation.