No invite for Ram temple event yet, what next for Uddhav Thackeray? Ex-CM says

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has not received an invitation to attend the Ram temple's ‘Pran Pratishtha' ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22. The Shiv Sena (UBT) faction chief on Saturday said he and his party leaders will visit the Kalaram temple in Nashik on that day and perform a ‘maha aarti’ on the bank of river Godavari.

"The consecration of Ayodhya Ram temple is a matter of pride and self-respect. On that day (January 22), we will visit the Kalaram temple at 6.30 pm where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and (social reformer) Sane Guruji had to stage protests. At 7.30 pm, we will hold a maha aarti on the banks of the Godavari river," Thackeray was quoted by PTI as saying.

The temple derives its name from the idol of Lord Ram carved out of black stone. It is believed that Lord Ram stayed in Panchavati with wife Sita and brother Lakshman during their exile. In 1930, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar had led a protest at the Kalaram temple to seek entry of Dalits into the temple.

The consecration ceremony of the Ram temple will take place on January 22 in Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath along with several VVIP guests from India and abroad will attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony.

‘Don’t need an invitation to go to Ayodhya': Uddhav

Recently, Uddhav Thackeray had said he does not need an invitation to go to Adyodhya.

"Ram Lalla is mine too. I can go anytime I wish. I can go now, I can go tomorrow. When I became the chief minister, I went to Ayodhya. I visited Ayodhya before that also. Yes, I have not received any invitation and I don't need one. I just have one request that this event should not be made a political one," he had said.