Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya on June 16 along with his party’s MPs, a day after Dharma Mahasabha will be held in the temple town on the occasion of janmotsava of Nritya Gopal Das to be attended by top saints of the country.
Shiv Sena’s senior leader Sanjay Raut is likely to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday and inform him about Thackeray’s visit.
This visit is seen as an attempt by Shiv Sena to pressurise the Union government to expedite the resolution of Ram Janmabhoomi issue as the Sena chief will visit Ayodhya along with newly-elected MPs of his party.
He will have a darshan of Ram Lalla and will also address a public meeting.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has, however, distanced itself from the Shiv Sena leader and his MPs’ visit to Ayodhya.
VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma told this reporter on Sunday that he had no information about any political leader visiting Ayodhya on June 16.
“A Dharma Mahasammelan has been called on the occasion of janmotsava of Nritya Gopal Das on June 16. Saints from across the country will attend that function. The issue of Ram temple is likely to be discussed but it is not on the agenda,” he said.
Sharma clarified that the Shiv Sena leader had not been invited to any of the functions.
This is the second time that the Shiv Sena chief will be visiting Ayodhya during the last six months. Earlier, before the Lok Sabha elections, he had visited Ayodhya with his family members and now he would be having paying obeisance to Ram Lalla with his party’s newly-elected MPs.
In a statement, Raut had said that the Shiv Sena was in favour of early resolution of the Ayodhya issue and Ram temple should be built at the Ram Janmabhoomi.