Ayodhya turned into a fortress as several workers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Shiv Sena reached the city on Saturday. The right-wing groups are demanding the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
While the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has declared that it will organise a ‘Hunkar’ rally in Ayodhya on Sunday, while Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray is reaching the town on Saturday and will attend different events during his visit. The Shiv Sena has asked the BJP to come out with an ordinance and declare a date for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Police sources said there would be over two lakh people converging on Ayodhya on what is now being called the `Super Sunday`.
The local administration has imposed CrPC section 144 in Ayodhya, restricting assembly of people.
Here are the highlights from Ayodhya:
* Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray along with his son Aditya Thackeray offers prayer at Sarayu River in Ayodhya. Shiv Sena will hold an event in the city on Sunday over the matter.
#WATCH: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray along with his son Aditya Thackeray offers prayer at Sarayu River in Ayodhya. Shiv Sena will hold an event in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/oJdSnVVwck
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018
* Announce date of Ram temple construction: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Ayodhya.
* Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reaches Ayodhya.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reaches Ayodhya today for a two-day visit. Shiv Sena will hold an event in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/C8G28fbgNH
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018
* "People have lost patience. Bring a law for Ram Mandir or else people will start building it on their own. If people do that, communal harmony could be disturbed. I believe there is no opposition to Ram in country, all Hindus, Muslims and Christians are his descendants," says Yoga Guru Ramdev.
* Uddhav Thackeray leaves for the airport.
Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray leaves from his residence. He will reach Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya today for a two-day visit. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/tPFewtVLVN
— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2018
* Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will reach Ayodhya in a chartered plane at 2 pm and head straight for Shri Vidhwant Sant Pujan. According to sources, Thackeray will hand over a silver brick to Saints for the construction of Ram Temple. He will attend Maha aarti ( Sarayu Aarati') around 6.00 pm on the bank of Saryu river in Ayodhya along with his son Aditya Thackeray. Shiv Sainiks in Mumbai will perform Aarti in different temples simultaneously.
* In Mumbai, Thackeray's wife Rashmi Thackeray will perform Aarti at Siddhivinayak temple. Nearly 5000 Shiv Sainiks will perform aarti at Hanuman Temple at Shivaji Chowk in Mumbai's Vile Parle East. A bike rally will be held by party members, followed by another Aarti at Khapreshwar temple at Parel in Mumbai. Aratis will also be conducted at Wadala's Ram Temple,
*Visuals of security in Ayodhya. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/cD0PPn0GHI
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018
* Nearly 25,000 Shiv Sena workers have reached Ayodhya Junction Railway station on Saturday morning.
* Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court to take note of the situation in Ayodhya and call the Army, if needed, to keep it under control. Talking to reporters, Yadav said: "The BJP does not believe in either the Supreme Court or the Constitution. The BJP can go to any extent. The kind of environment there is in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Ayodhya, the Supreme Court should take notice of it and bring Army, if necessary."
* Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said his party is pushing for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya because it was promised by the BJP ahead of elections.
* Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will reach Ayodhya later in the day. The Sena, which is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but has had strained ties with ally BJP, has demanded the Centre come out with an ordinance and declare a date for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
* 12 Vibhag Pramukhs/Vibhag Sanghataks (office-bearers) of the party have been tasked with organising "maha aartis" (grand prayers) simultaneously at 6 pm Saturday at several temples in Mumbai to coincide with Thackeray's Ayodhya visit. A Sena functionary, requesting anonymity, said the district administration in Ayodhya has denied permission to Thackeray to hold a rally on November 25 in the holy town of Uttar Pradesh.
* Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said there is no scope for an ordinance on building Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, while asserting that the temple should be constructed at the birthplace of Lord Ram and efforts are to build consensus on the issue.
* Shiv Sena`s Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Raut courted controversy after saying when Babri Masjid could be demolished in 17 minutes, why it was taking so long for a law to build a temple there. "We demolished the Babri Masjid in 17 minutes but for paper work why it is taking so much time...for drafting a law or ordinance," he told reporters here in comments seen as provoking BJP with which its oldest saffron ally is not on good terms in the last few months.
