'Invitations Only To Those...': Ram Temple Chief Priest Responds To Uddhav's 'No Invite' Remark

Uddhav Thackeray earlier said he has not received any formal invite for the ceremony and does not need any.

Days after former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said he did not receive any formal invitation for the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, Chief Priest Acharya Satyendra Das said the invites are being sent to those who are "devotees of Lord Ram". Speaking to ANI, the priest said it was wrong to say that the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) was fighting in the name of Lord Ram.

"Invitations are only extended to those who are devotees of Lord Ram. It is totally wrong to say that BJP is fighting in the name of Lord Ram, our PM is respected everywhere. He has done immense work under his tenure. This is not politics. This is his devotion," priest Acharya Satyendra Das said.

Thackeray said he has not received any formal invite for the ceremony and does not need any. "I have not received any invitation yet and I don't need one to visit Ayodhya as Ram Lalla belongs to everyone. Whenever I feel like it, I will go. Shiv Sena had contributed a lot to the Ram temple movement," he said while highlighting the role of his party Shiv Sena in the Ram Jambhoomi movement.

Acharya Satyendra Das also came heavily on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut over the latter's "BJP is left now to announce Lord Ram as their candidate" comments.

"Sanjay Raut has so much pain that even he can't express that, they were the ones who used to fight elections in the name of Lord Ram. Those who believed in Lord Ram are in power, what nonsense he is talking about? He is insulting Lord Ram," the Chief Priest said, quoted ANI.

Raut had lashed out at the BJP saying that it will seek votes in the name of Lord Ram ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year. "The PMO and government should shift base to Ayodhya. They will ask for votes only in Ram's name because they have done nothing else," Raut had said.

He further said Shiv Sena members put their blood and toil into the Ram Mandir movement. "Balasaheb Thackrey and thousands of Shiv Saniks contributed to it," he said."Even we are devotees of Ram. In fact, we are the biggest devotees of Ram and our party has sacrificed a lot for the Ram temple. They have taken our country back by 5000 years," he added.

The consecration ceremony in Ayodhya's Ram temple will be held over seven days, starting on January 16. According to an ANI report, on the final day, January 22, the deity of Ram Lala will be consecrated in 'Mrigashira Nakshatra' in the afternoon.