Uddhav Thackeray suggests ‘e-bhoomi pujan’ for Ram Mandir, draws flak
"Today, we are fighting the coronavirus pandemic and religious gatherings are prohibited. I can go to Ayodhya for the ceremony, but what about lakhs of Ram bhakts. Will you stop them? You can do e-bhoomi pujan through video-conference," Thackeray said.
New Delhi: As the Coronavirus crisis continues to peak and impact lives across the country, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has pitched for ‘e-bhoomi pujan’ of the Ram temple on August 5.
In an interview published in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Thackeray said “An e-bhoomi pujan can be done. The ground-breaking ceremony can be held through video-conference. This is an event of joy, and lakhs of people would be interested in attending the ceremony. Will we allow the spread of coronavirus?”
“This is not an ordinary temple. Today, we are fighting the coronavirus pandemic and religious gatherings are prohibited. I can go to Ayodhya for the ceremony, but what about lakhs of Ram bhakts. Will you stop them? You can do e-bhoomi pujan through video-conference,” he suggested.
Thackeray draws ire of sages
Thackeray’s suggestion of bhoomi pujan through video conference was denounced and criticized by BJP. Sages took umbrage at his suggestion as they saw it as undermining the importance of the auspicious event.
Ram Mandir Trust Secretary Champath Rai said that this is not a government meeting that can be done through video conferencing. We can’t have the E-Bhoomi Pujan as the Bhoomi Pujan of the mandir has religious sentiments attached to it, and it can be only be done in the presence of people, he explained.