Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on January 21 mentioned that whereas he would not be attending the idol consecration ceremony on the Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya on January 22, he was planning, as an alternative, to take his Cabinet, in addition to MLAs and MPs from the State, to do “darshan” on the temple later on.
“Instead of a handful of people attending the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya, I would like to take all State Cabinet members as well as MLAs and Parliamentarians later,” mentioned Mr. Shinde, talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Tata Marathon meet.
“This temple is about our faith and pride. I would like to take officials and devotees to Ayodhya,” he added, saying directions have been given to officers to perform a cleanliness drive in temples and to adorn them with lights forward of Monday’s ceremony.
Earlier within the day, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, too, had informed reporters in Nagpur that he would go to Ayodhya subsequent month for “Ram seva”.
Meanwhile, former Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray received his invitation for the consecration ceremony by way of “speed post”.
Criticising the federal government’s therapy of the Thackeray household, the social gathering’s MP Sanjay Raut mentioned, “Lord Ram will curse you. All film stars have been invited, but the Thackeray family, so closely associated with the [Ram Janmabhoomi] movement, is being treated in such a manner.”
Dismissing Mr. Raut’s claims, Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant defined that velocity publish was chosen for a “quicker delivery”. “This was to ensure that the invitation reached in time,” he mentioned.
Mr. Thackeray, who won’t be attending the consecration ceremony both, will embark on a two-day go to to Nashik on Monday as an alternative, together with his plans together with prayers on the Kalaram temple, and prayers on the Godavari river financial institution.