Uddhav Thackeray said the Ram temple issue had a backdrop of struggle.
Bombay:
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya could be conducted by video conference following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Thackeray, who is also chairman of the Shiv Sena, said he could travel to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh for the ceremony, but asked if “Ram bhakts” lakhs could be prevented from going there.
According to members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely travel to Ayodhya on August 5 for the “bhoomi pujan” ceremony to begin construction of the Ram temple.
“An e-bhoomi pujan can be done. The inauguration ceremony can be done by video conference. It is an event of joy, and thousands of people would be interested in attending the ceremony. Will we allow the spread of the coronavirus? Mr. Thackeray said Sunday in an interview published in spokesperson Shiv Sena “ Saamana ”.
He said the Ram temple issue had a wrestling background.
“This is no ordinary temple. Today we are fighting the coronavirus pandemic and religious gatherings are prohibited. I can go to Ayodhya for the ceremony, but what about the lakhs of Ram bhakts. “You stop them? You can do e-bhoomi pujan by video conference,” he suggested.
Mr Thackeray recalled that the last time he was in Ayodhya, he had been prevented from playing ‘aarti’ on the Saryu River since the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic had just started.
“Before that, I had seen huge crowds on the banks of the river. Ram Mandir is a matter of faith. How can you prevent people from going there? He asked.
Mr. Thackeray visited Ayodhya in March to commemorate 100 days in office.
He took office as chief minister of the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on November 28 last year, after his party joined forces with the PCN and Congress.
