MUMBAI: In a bid to take on the PM Narendra Modi-led BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday invited President Droupadi Murmu to offer prayers at Nashik’s Kalaram temple on January 22. Uddhav will be performing aarti at the Kalaram temple on the day of the Ram Temple inauguration in Ayodhya.
In a dig at PM Modi, who will be present for the Ram temple opening, Uddhav said Murmu “will not be treated as one among the crowd.” Uddhav wrote a letter in Hindi extend the invite to President Murmu.
Speaking at Matoshree, his Bandra residence, Uddhav also hit out at PM Modi over his comment that the country had suffered due to dynastic politics, saying in a reference to CM Eknath Shinde’s son and MP Shrikant Shinde, “PM Modi did not speak on dynasties of traitors in Kalyan-Dombivli. So this dynasty works for you? Traitors are popular and their dynasties are dear… It’s all bogus. It’s better if a householder speaks on nepotism.”
On Saturday, Thackeray also visited the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency for the first time after Shinde’s exit from the Thackeray camp. Shrikant Shinde is the Kalyan MP. During the visit, Uddhav said if PM Modi is against dynasties, “he will cut the tickets of traitor father and son.” Later in Kalwa, Thackeray criticized Shinde and asked “how they will take citizens away from me despite taking away the party.” He added, “These are the last days of the traitors and I, with the help of citizens, am going to teach them a lesson in the elections.”
With no invitation for the opening of the Ram temple, Uddhav has announced he will perform a ‘maha aarti’ on the banks of the Godavari in Nashik and visit the Kalaram temple at Panchavati, where Lord Ram is said to have lived during his exile.
“Babri Masjid was built on top of Lord Ram’s temple in Ayodhya. Also, the temple of Somnath was destroyed several times. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took the initiative and rebuilt the temple of Somnath. However, Vallabhbhai Patel died before the consecration ceremony of Somnath temple. Then the then President Dr Rajendra Prasad was invited. He performed the consecration,” Uddhav said. “The long battle for the Ram temple ended with SC finally giving justice. The consecration is a question of the identity of the country. President Droupadi Murmu should be invited to this function and consecration should be done by her. It is not known whether the Centre will invite the President. But we are inviting President Droupadi Murmu… I am a staunch Hindu. I along with lakhs of devotees wish to have the Ram temple in Ayodhya. People know the role played and the stand taken by Shiv Sena and Balasaheb Thackeray for the Ram temple,” he added.
In a dig at PM Modi, who will be present for the Ram temple opening, Uddhav said Murmu “will not be treated as one among the crowd.” Uddhav wrote a letter in Hindi extend the invite to President Murmu.
Speaking at Matoshree, his Bandra residence, Uddhav also hit out at PM Modi over his comment that the country had suffered due to dynastic politics, saying in a reference to CM Eknath Shinde’s son and MP Shrikant Shinde, “PM Modi did not speak on dynasties of traitors in Kalyan-Dombivli. So this dynasty works for you? Traitors are popular and their dynasties are dear… It’s all bogus. It’s better if a householder speaks on nepotism.”
On Saturday, Thackeray also visited the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency for the first time after Shinde’s exit from the Thackeray camp. Shrikant Shinde is the Kalyan MP. During the visit, Uddhav said if PM Modi is against dynasties, “he will cut the tickets of traitor father and son.” Later in Kalwa, Thackeray criticized Shinde and asked “how they will take citizens away from me despite taking away the party.” He added, “These are the last days of the traitors and I, with the help of citizens, am going to teach them a lesson in the elections.”
With no invitation for the opening of the Ram temple, Uddhav has announced he will perform a ‘maha aarti’ on the banks of the Godavari in Nashik and visit the Kalaram temple at Panchavati, where Lord Ram is said to have lived during his exile.
“Babri Masjid was built on top of Lord Ram’s temple in Ayodhya. Also, the temple of Somnath was destroyed several times. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took the initiative and rebuilt the temple of Somnath. However, Vallabhbhai Patel died before the consecration ceremony of Somnath temple. Then the then President Dr Rajendra Prasad was invited. He performed the consecration,” Uddhav said. “The long battle for the Ram temple ended with SC finally giving justice. The consecration is a question of the identity of the country. President Droupadi Murmu should be invited to this function and consecration should be done by her. It is not known whether the Centre will invite the President. But we are inviting President Droupadi Murmu… I am a staunch Hindu. I along with lakhs of devotees wish to have the Ram temple in Ayodhya. People know the role played and the stand taken by Shiv Sena and Balasaheb Thackeray for the Ram temple,” he added.