Uddhav Thackeray Receives Last Minute Invitation to Ram Temple Inauguration Amidst Ongoing Tensions with BJP
Ayodhya, 21st January 2024: In a development that adds a new layer to the ongoing political saga between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP, Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena, has been extended an invitation to the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. The invitation, delivered via speed post this week, coincides with Uddhav’s previously announced plans for a Maha Aarti and a visit to the Kalaram temple in Panchavati, Nashik on the same day. Despite the invitation from the Ram Mandir Trust, Uddhav remains committed to his scheduled activities in Nashik.
On the auspicious occasion of January 22, Uddhav Thackeray plans to perform a Maha Aarti and visit the Kalaram temple in Panchavati, emphasizing the historical significance of the day. Concurrently, in a strategic move against the BJP-led government, Uddhav has extended an invitation to the President of India Droupadi Murmu to offer prayers at Nashik’s Kalaram Temple, where he will be performing the Aarti at the same time as the Ram Temple inauguration in Ayodhya. This move is seen as a subtle contrast to Prime Minister Modi’s presence at the Ayodhya ceremony and has added a new dimension to the ongoing political tensions.
Tensions between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP escalated last week when Uddhav Thackeray did not receive an invitation to the Ram Temple inauguration. In response, Uddhav invited President Droupadi Murmu, emphasizing that she would be accorded special treatment. The move is seen as a response to the perceived lack of recognition for Uddhav’s role in the Ram Mandir struggle, with Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut drawing parallels between Uddhav’s exclusion and the omission of senior BJP leader LK Advani.
Adding another layer to the political landscape, on January 23, the Shiv Sena (UBT) will launch its election campaign with a camp and rally in Nashik, coinciding with the birth anniversary of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. Uddhav Thackeray also plans to pay homage to Swatantrya Veer Savarkar in Bhagur, near Nashik, on January 22.
Uddhav, while emphasizing the historic nature of the Ram temple’s opening after a 30-year struggle, also underscored his commitment to visit the Kalaram temple on the same day, citing its historical significance as the site of a satyagraha led by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sane Guruji in 1930 to secure Dalit access to temples.
