No Governors invited eitherVHP blasts Shiv Sena & Uddhav
by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
New Delhi, July 27
Setting all speculations at rest about Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray attending the Ram Temple Foundation Stone laying Ceremony to be held on August 5, it is disclosed that he has not been invited to the function.
It has also been confirmed that not only Uddhav Thackeray but no other Chief Minister across the country has been invited to attend the historic function.
This was disclosed Working President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Alok Kumar in an exclusive conversation today.
He told Lokmat over the telephone this morning that “the VHP is deeply hurt by the statement of Uddhav Thackeray ji for his suggestion that foundation ceremony be held through Video Conferencing”.
However, the decision not to invite him for the ceremony is not linked to his statement issued last night. It was a policy decision that no Chief Minister be invited for the ceremony in view of the Covid pandemic.
When asked whether an exception be made, Alok Kumar disclosed that UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will certainly attend the ceremony. He also signaled that a few exceptions could be made if needed. In response to another question, Alok Kumar also disclosed, “No Governor has been invited to the function either.”
Interestingly, the BJP has 12 Chief Ministers of its own and sharing power in 6 other states with allies. But none has been invited. The public statement by Alok Kumar puts an end to uncertainty about Uddhav Thackeray traveling to Ayodhya to attend the ceremony on August 5.
Meanwhile, Alok Kumar said, “Uddhav ji’s statement only shows his blind opposition and we do mourn such a fall of what once was a Hindutava Party led by the legendary Shri Bala Sahab Thackeray.”
“Bhumi Pujan is an essential and sacred ritual.. we worship the Mother Earth, seek Her permission to dig…….this cannot be done by e-conference.”
“The VHP has always made it clear that the Bhumi Pujan will be done by restricting participation to 200 persons and in this situation, the concern about public health expressed by Shri Thackeray are only false pretensions”, he added.
