Uddhav seeks land to build bhavan for Ram bhakts from Maharashtra

Uddhav Thackeray with son Aaditya and other party leaders in Ayodhya, Saturday. (Express photo)

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday requested the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government to provide land to construct a Maharashtra Bhavan in Ayodhya where Ram bhakts from the state could stay during their visit.

Thackeray visited Ayodhya on Saturday to commemorate 100 days in office of the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. The Chief Minister was accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aaditya, along with 18 of his party MPs and other leaders. Congress minister Sunil Kedar was also present for the visit.

While stating that all Ram devotees will construct the temple together, Thackeray said, “I recently talked to Yogiji and I request him that we will all make the temple together, but a lot of Ram devotees from Maharashtra might come here often and for their stay, if Yogiji provides us land, then we want to build a Maharashtra Bhavan on behalf of the state government.”

Thackeray’s request assumes significance as he seems to have reasserted the party’s Hindutva stand despite being part of a coalition government that also comprises the Congress and NCP. His move is being seen as an attempt to please the Sena’s core Hindu voter base, which is also being wooed by the MNS.

After the Sena tied up with the Congress and NCP for government formation, it charted out a common minimum programme that included the preamble of the Constitution, which has the word ‘secular’ in it. Sena’s former ally BJP has been alleging that the party has abandoned Hindutva after it joined hands with the Congress for government formation.

Incidentally, Thackeray made the request in the presence of Congress minister Sunil Kedar, who said that he came to Ayodhya out of “faith”.

Thackeray also visited the makeshift temple of Ram Lalla and announced a contribution of Rs 1 crore for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. “I also want to announce that we are giving Rs 1 crore for the construction of Ram temple from our trust. We Ram bhakts are giving a small contribution and request the trust members to accept it,” he said while interacting with the media.

He said this was his third visit to Ayodhya since 2018 and he would keep visiting. “Hindutva does not mean BJP. Hindutva is different and BJP is different. We have separated from the BJP and not from Hindutva… Chanting ‘Ram, Ram’ only before the elections, that is something I am not going to do,” said Thackeray.

He said he had a deep desire to offer aarti at the Sarayu river but because of the prevailing coronavirus threat, he had to cancel the plan. Thackeray said he will keep coming to Ayodhya, and will offer the aarti next time.