Uddhav Thackeray hails SC verdict, to visit Ayodhya on Nov 24

Hailing the Supreme Court's decision today on Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has said that he will be going to Ayodhya on November 24.

"This day will be written in golden letters in the history of India as the dispute over Ram Mandir has finally come to an end. I bow down to the Supreme Court for this historic verdict. Everyone has accepted the verdict. I will be going to Ayodhya on 24 November," Thackeray said at a press conference here.

The Shiv Sena chief also appealed to the people and his party workers to maintain peace and harmony and make sure nobody's sentiments get hurt while celebrating this day.

When asked whom he would remember after this verdict, Uddhav replied, "Today I would remember Shiv Sena supremo late Balasaheb Thackeray and other veterans like Ashok Singhal, Lal Krishna Advani and all the 'Karsevaks' who had agitated for this."

He added that he will meet former deputy prime minister LK Advani. "I will also visit LK Advaniji to thank him and congratulate him. He had taken out 'Rath-Yatra' for this. I will surely meet him and seek his blessings."

On his visit to Ayodhya, Uddhav said, "When I last visited Ayodhya less than a year ago, I had taken some soil from the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and it was magical. I will visit Shivneri - the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj, and Ayodhya again for sure."

On June 16 this year, Uddhav and son Aditya Thackeray had visited Ayodhya and offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla shrine. Eighteen Shiv Sena MPs had also reached the city on June 15.

Uddhav had visited Ayodhya last year too on November 25.

The Supreme Court on Saturday directed the Centre to give five acres of suitable land to Sunni Waqf Board and at the same time make necessary arrangements for the construction of the temple by forming a trust.

A five-judge constitution bench presided by Chief Justice Gogoi and comprising Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer passed the order on a bunch of petitions against an order of the Allahabad High Court which trifurcated the site between the parties -- Ramlalla Virajman, Sunni Central Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara.