Have not yet received Ram temple consecration ceremony invite: Uddhav Thackeray
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said he has not yet received the invitation for the consecration of Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
Thackeray also stressed he doesn't need a formal invite as Ram Lalla belongs to everyone and that he would visit the temple town in Uttar Pradesh whenever he felt like.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has been inviting several prominent personalities and political leaders of the country for the grand event.
Talking to reporters, Thackeray said Shiv Sena had undertaken a long struggle for the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He further said his father and Sena founder Bal Thackeray's voting right was "snatched" for campaigning for the Ram Temple and Hindutva during a bypoll.
"I have not received any invitation yet and I don't need one to visit Ayodhya as Ram Lalla belongs to everyone. Whenever I feel like it, I will go. Shiv Sena had contributed a lot to the Ram temple movement," said Thackeray, a member of the opposition INDIA bloc.
Thackeray recalled that he had visited Ayodhya even when he was chief minister of Maharashtra.
Taking a veiled swipe at BJP, he said, "I only expect that political event shouldn't be made out of it (the consecration ceremony). Lord Ram is not the property of any single party. This is the matter of faith for crores of people".
He also said it was the Supreme Court's decision that paved the way for the construction of Ram temple and the Centre had no role.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the "top ten" among those accused of demolishing the Babri mosque in 1992 are Shiv Sainiks including Bal Thackeray. "A total of 109 Shiv Sainikas from Maharashtra figure in the list of the accused persons in the demolition case," he claimed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and more than 6,000 people are expected to attend the consecration ceremony.
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India to pursue extradition of Khalistani separatist Arsh Dalla with Canada following his arrest
New Delhi, Nov 14: India on Thursday said it will pursue an extradition request with Canada for Arsh Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla, the de-facto chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, following his arrest in that country.
Dalla was designated in India as a terrorist in 2023.
In July 2023, India had requested the Canadian government for his provisional arrest.
"In view of the recent arrest, our agencies will be following up on an extradition request," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"Given Arsh Dalla's criminal record in India and his involvement in similar illegal activities in Canada, it is expected that he will be extradited or deported to face justice in India," he added.
Dalla was reportedly arrested by the Canadian Police late last month.
"We have seen media reports circulating since November 10 on the arrest in Canada of proclaimed offender Arsh Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla, the de-facto chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force," Jaiswal said.
"Canadian print and visual media have widely reported on the arrest. We understand that the Ontario Court has listed the case for hearing," he added.
Jaiswal was replying to media queries regarding the arrest of Dalla.
"Arsh Dalla is a proclaimed offender in over 50 cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion and terrorist acts, including terror financing. In May 2022, a Red Corner Notice was issued against him," Jaiswal said.
"He was designated in India as an individual terrorist in 2023. In July 2023, the Government of India had requested the Canadian government for his provisional arrest. This was declined," he added.
Jaiswal said India had provided additional information in the case to the Canadian authorities.
"A separate request was also sent to Canada under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to verify Arsh Dalla's suspected residential address, his financial transactions to India, moveable/immovable properties, details of mobile numbers etc - all of which were provided to Canadian authorities in January 2023," Jaiswal said.
"In December 2023, the Department of Justice of Canada sought additional information on the case. A reply to these queries was sent in March this year," he added.
Our response to media queries regarding the arrest of a designated terrorist in Canada:https://t.co/c6CasRuteb pic.twitter.com/XfH4S5UzUr
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) November 14, 2024
