Amid posters of “asli aa raha hai, nakli se saavdhan”, the Shiv Sena on Sunday announced the visit of Maharashtra’s Tourism, Environment and Protocol Minister Aaditya Thackeray to temple town of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on June 10.
This would be the third visit to Ayodhya for Aaditya, the Yuva Sena president.
In the past Aaditya had visited Ayodhya in November 2018 and March 2020 - when he had accompanied his father, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray.
“Aaditya Thackeray visit to Ayodhya is being planned for June 10. The visit must not be seen politically, it’s a matter of faith,” Shiv Sena chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said on Sunday. “Shiv Sainiks from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere from India too would be accompanying Aaditya Thackeray,” he said.
However, Aaditya, who was in Palghar, said: “We will seek blessings of Lord Ram for all of us and people of state.” He, however, said: "We must hear what Shiv Sena pramukh (Uddhav Thackeray) says in his May 14 rally."
The Shiv Sena poster, “asli aa raha hai, nakli se saavdhan…Jai Shree Ram”, which has been put up in Ayodhya, in fact takes a dig at Uddhav’s estranged cousin and MNS President Raj Thackeray who too had announced his visit on 5 June. The poster has photos of late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray.
Of late, Aaditya’s uncle Raj had been toeing the line of BJP and have raised the issue of loudspeakers being used in mosques and threatened to play Hanuman Chalisa double the volume if his party workers heard azan on speakers. During the visit, Raj is also expected to call on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.