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As places of worship in the state reopened on Thursday, several Shiv Sena and NCP leaders visited temples in Mumbai, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra.
The visits to temples assume significance in the backdrop of the BJP’s attack on the MVA government over not opening the places of worship. Places of worship were closed in the state after the second wave of Covid-19 started in March this year. Last year, after the first wave subsided, places of religious worship were reopened from Diwali Padwa on November 16.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, his wife Rashmi and son Aaditya, the Tourism Minister, visited Mumbadevi temple in South Mumbai and offered prayers. Thursday is also the first day of the nine-day Navratri.
Thackeray said he prayed to Mumbadevi to eradicate the coronavirus permanently. “It is the responsibility of all of us to follow Covid protocols at the places of worship,” said the CM. He further said that trustees and priests of all places of worship should ensure that devotees follow discipline while offering prayers, that the shrine premises are cleaned and sanitised frequently and social distancing is followed.
NCP’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Irrigation Minister Jayant Patil offered prayers at Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai and Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple in Pune. NCP minister Nawab Malik and Congress minister Aslam Sheikh visited the Mahim dargah and Haji Ali dargah in the city. While Shiv Sena and NCP leaders visited temples, Congress leaders seemed to have stayed away.
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