Caving under pressure from the Marathi Kranti Morcha’s warning that it would not permit him to hold prayers in Pandharpur, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said he had cancelled his visit of July 23 to the temple town to ensure the safety of lakhs of devotees gathered there.
It is a tradition in the State for the Chief Minister and his spouse to perform the first worship of the Vitthal-Rukmini deity at Pandharpur’s Vithoba Temple on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi.
The Morcha had recently said it would deny the Chief Minister entry into the temple premises owing to the State government’s alleged delay in implementing reservation for the Maratha community.
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“This [forcing the cancellation] is wrong and does not befit a progressive Maharashtra. The police have tracked messages hinting at conspiracies to spread chaos among the devotees gathered on the occasion. While no one can stop me from paying homage to Lord Vitthal, I have decided against going there in order to safeguard their [the warkaris’] lives,” said Mr. Fadnavis, speaking in Mumbai.
Mr. Fadnavis further stated that despite being fully aware of the legal aspects of the Maratha reservation issue and the fact that only the Bombay High Court had the power to decide on it, some parties and individuals are deliberately trying the incite the Maratha community against the government.