Shirdi bandh: Shops, eateries, local transport shut

Shops, eateries, various or commercial establishments and local transport remained shut in Shirdi temple town of Maharashtra on Sunday in response to bandh called over a controversy on birthplace of 19th century saint Saibaba.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has convened a meeting over issue at state secretariat in Mumbai on Monday.

bandh began in Shirdi at midnight, but Saibaba temple remained open with devotees being allowed to offer prayers, officials of temple trust and Ahmednagar district ministration said.

'prasalaya' and temple kitchen were also open to ensure devotees were t inconvenienced, y said.

Long queues of devotees were seen in front of 'prasalaya', breakfast centre and 'ldoo' sale centres of temple, according to sources.

Terming bandh as "successful", local BJP functionary Sachin Tambe Patil, who is former trustee of Saibaba temple, said, "Commercial establishments, shops, restaurants and local transport (autorickshaws and or private vehicles) are closed and a complete shutdown is being observed in town as well as in 25 vills around Shirdi."

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"However, temple is open and devotees are coming to offer prayers," he said, ding that a rally has been organised in  Shirdi on Sunday.

Devotees who me pre-bookings at hotels were allowed to stay and taxi services from airport to temple were also unaffected, district ministration official said. state transport buses from or locations were being allowed to come to town, he ded.

Former Maharashtra minister Rhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, who is local BJP MLA, on Saturday said he supported bandh call.

controversy began after Chief Minister Thackeray anunced a grant of Rs 100 crore for development of facilities at "Sai janmasthan" (birthplace) at Pathri in Parbhani district.

Local residents and leers in Shirdi took exception to chief minister's anuncement, saying birthplace of famed saint was t kwn, and Pathri cant make a claim to being his birthplace.

y are demanding that Thackeray withdraw his official statement where he described Pathri as Saibaba's birthplace. It was at Shirdi in Ahmednagar district where Saibaba, whose devotees cut across religious lines, spent much of his life.

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