Given that the Shiv Sena has over the years been on the forefront of the Ram Mandir crusade over the years, will Maharashtra Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thacheray attend the Ram Mandir “Bhoomi Puja” ceremony? Will he be invited for the temple foundation ceremony by the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust?
These questions became a part of the political debate in the State on Sunday when NCP chief Sharad Pawar – whose party is part of the three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state – slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his decision to attend the proposed Ram temple’s ‘bhoomi puja’ ceremony likely to be held on August 5, amid the Coronavirus crisis in the country.
While it is likely Uddhav might be invited by the temple trust at the behest of the BJP apparently drive a wedge between the Shiv Sena and two of its ruling alliance partners – NCP and Congress, it remains to be seen if the Sena president will overlook the current priorities at home – that of handling the Coronavirus crisis – and attend the temple foundation stone-laying ceremony. Or will Uddhav depute someone to the ceremony?
Asked to comment on the issue, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said: “We are not sure whether we will get an invitation for the Ram Mandir’s foundation stone-laying ceremony. This is not a prestige issue for us because our faith and association is directly with Lord Shri Ram. The invitation will come from the temple trust and not the ruling BJP. If the invitation comes, the chief minister will decide whether to attend the ceremony or not and if yes, he will decide as to who will attend”.
“Lord Shri Ram is a matter of faith. That being the case, there is no need for politicising the issue. But, the fact that the Shiv Sena has been a part of the Ram Mandir construction movement. Various Hindu religious bodies fought the battle in the court. This is not a question of any one taking credit. You should remember that Uddhavji had gone to Ayodhya before and after becoming the chief minister,” Sawant said while talking to a leading Marathi television channel.
“You should also remember that the Shiv Sena was the first political party in the country to donate Rs 5 crore for the construction of Ram temple,” Sawant added.