Pathri Sansthan to approach Bombay HC over Sai Janmabhoomi issue

Taking a legal turn on the Saibaba birthplace row, officials of the Sai Janmabhoomi Pathri Sansthan on Thursday has decided to move the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court challenging CM Uddhav Thackeray's retraction under Shirdi's pressure.

Pathri: Sai Janmabhoomi Pathri Sansthan is set to approach the Bombay High Court over Sai Baba birthplace controversy, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLC Babajani Durrani said on Thursday.

Durrani, who is also a member of the Kirti Samiti of Sai Janmabhoomi Pathri Sansthan, said that the Pathri's Kirti Samiti in a meeting decided to take the issue to Bombay High Court.

"We have not received any invitation from the Maharashtra government. Chief Minister has not even talked about the documents we have over the matter. Our main issue is the Sai birthplace and it has been decided in the Kirti Samiti to take the matter to court," Durrani said.

The decision comes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray recently decided to allocate funds to develop Pathri town in Parbhani district for religious tourism, calling it the birthplace of Baba.

This has sparked a controversy with a clash between Pathri and Shirdi over the temple.