Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has said that the Ram Janmabhoomi appeared like a jail to him. Thackeray said this after visiting the disputed site on Sunday. The darshan, which was followed by a media interaction, concluded the leader's two-day tour of Ayodhya where he questioned the BJP government on its promise of constructing the Ram Temple and asked if the wish would be fulfilled before the Supreme Court decided on it.

"I felt like I was entering a jail when I visited the Ram Janmabhoomi. I felt sad and thought that Ram continues to be in vanvas (exile)," he said about the holy place where the deity's idol is kept in a temporary tent-like structure. The site is heavily guarded by security forces and the devotees are allowed in only after physical checks. Thackeray, his wife Rashmi, son Aditya and senior party leaders spent about 40 minutes inside the shrine. They performed a puja and received a warm welcome from the head priest. "The place and its vibes are so enlightening," he said.