Aaditya Thackeray to visit Ayodhya in May, go to Ram Janmabhoomi site

Maharashtra Tourism and Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray will visit Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh in the first week of May. During his one-day visit, Thackeray will visit the Ram Janmabhoomi site. The announcement comes shortly after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray informed that he will visit Ayodhya on June 5, to offer prayers at the Ram temple. 

"I will go to Ayodhya on June 5. If because of the Supreme Court and the Central government, the construction of Ram Mandir is possible. It would be good if I go there," said Raj Thackeray

Notably, the MNS and Shiv Sena are at loggerheads after the former projected its president Raj Thackeray as the 'real inheritor' of his uncle Balasaheb Thackeray's Hindutva legacy. "Honourable Balasaheb, Look your son Chief Minister Uddhav Ji Thackeray is banning people from chanting Hanuman Chalisa despite being a Hindu," posters put up by MNS read. 

The party has given an 'ultimatum' to the MVA administration asking them to shut loudspeakers in Mosques by May 3. "We don’t want riots. No one has opposed the offering of prayers. But if you (Muslims) do it on loudspeaker, then we will also use loudspeakers. Muslims should understand that religion isn't bigger than the law," Raj Thackeray told ANI.

SC verdict & Ram Mandir construction

The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in its verdict on November 9, 2019, granted the entire disputed area in Ayodhya to the Hindu parties, after a 40-day marathon hearing. It directed the Centre to formulate a scheme within three months which will be responsible for building a temple. On the other hand, the SC ordered an alternative land of 5 acres in Ayodhya to be given to the Sunni Central Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque. 

The foundation of the Ram Mandir was laid in Ayodhya by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5, 2020, after the Supreme Court's historic verdict. After performing the 'Bhumi Pujan', PM Modi had spoken about how a three-decade-long Ram Janmabhoomi movement had come to fruition with the foundation-laying ceremony and had become a 'symbol of resolution of crores of people.'

"The temple will inspire for determination and resolution. Ayodhya's entire identity will change as new opportunities will come and people across the world will come here. Today's day is the testimony of the truth of millions of Ram Bhakts," he had said.

The construction of the Ram Temple is currently underway with engineers from IIT Madras, CBRI Roorkee along with L&T. It is likely to be completed by mid-January, 2024.