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Politicians in Pune, many of whom are eagerly waiting to visit Ayodhya for the inauguration of the Ram temple, have expressed disappointment as none of them seem to have received an invitation so far.
While those belonging to BJP and its alliance partners are expecting the invite, those in the Opposition say they don’t need an invite to visit the Ram temple.
Lok Sabha MP from Baramati Supriya Sule, who belongs to Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, said, “We have not received the invite…Anyways, I don’t need an invitation to visit Ayodhya and pray at the Ram temple.”
“There are four place–mandir, masjid, church and gurdwara–all of which I visit regularly… My faith in God is personal and it has got to do nothing with anyone. I don’t need permission to visit places of worship,” said the Baramati MP.
“I am from the Warkari sect. I find God in people, in the elderly, among the ailing and the children. I do have a scientific temperament but I am not superstitious. I don’t want to tell anyone about my faith And I don’t even ask anyone about their faith. Humanity is important, nothing else matters,” she said.
Sule said neither she nor her father Sharad Pawar have received the invite so far. “I don’t know anyone, who has received the invite,” she said.
Rajya Sabha MP and Sule’s party colleague Vandana Chavan too said she did not receive the invite for the Ram temple inauguration. “If I had, my Delhi office would have conveyed it to me.”
Maval MP Shrirang Barne from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena too said that he had not received the invitation and that he is waiting for directions from his party.
BJP’s Bhosari MLA Mahesh Landge too has not received an invite. “I think the party wants us to stay grounded and create a positive atmosphere ahead of the Ram temple inauguration.”
BJP MLA from Shivajinagar Siddharth Shirole said, “I have not received the invite but MLAs here have decided to visit Ayodhya after either a few days after the inauguration or in March. We had discussed this during the recent winter session of the State Legislature.”
Ajit Gavahane, president of NCP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad unit, said, ”The party has not received any invitation neither we have decided anything on this front.”
