Uddhav dares PM & BJP to show guts in construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya or else Sena will do so with support of Hindus
Presenting himself as the new mascot of Hindutva forces at the jam-packed Shiv Sena's annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in Dadar, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray yesterday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to show guts to construct a Ram temple at Ayodhya or else he (Uddhav), along with the support of Hindus, will do it on his own.
Announcing that he will go to Ayodhya on November 25 along with others, Sena president warned the the BJP-led government not to play with the emotions of people on the issue of construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. Stating that it has been four-and-half years now that the BJP is in power, he reminded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is elected to Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, has not gone to Ayodhya in all these years of his ruling. “I shall go along with Hindus there. You should built the Ram temple there or else I will do it. If you do not start the construction, we shall start the construction. Hindus are not cowards. You may treat public memory as weak, but the people's memory is not weak. Do not make the issue of the construction of the Ram temple one of your 'jumlas'.”
Appreciating Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on his stand for enacting a law over the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, he stated that the Sena has been articulating the same stand. He added that whenever the talk of Presidential polls crops up, Ayodhya-related cases against senior BJP leader L K Advani are propped up so as to deny him the top post. “When the disputed structure of Babri Masjid was pulled down, these very same people ran away and hid in their burrows. At the time after the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya, it was late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray who gave fillip to the sagging morale of Hindus by calling them to proudly proclaim that they are Hindus and to raise slogans of Hindutva,” he said.
Reminding the BJP of its promise to abrogate Article 370, he pointed out that the Sena would support the government if the BJP moved a resolution to this effect in the Lok Sabha.
Referring to the burning of the effigy of demon king Ravana, Thackeray remarked that the Ravana of rising inflation, rising petrol prices, is rising. Commenting upon RSS Saha Karyavaha Bhayyahi Joshi's recent remarks which reminded the government of giving relief to the stressed people, he wanted to know why is the RSS not asking the BJP to walk out of the government. Stating that the petrol prices are the highest in the drought-prone Marathwada region, the Sena president demanded that the extra revenue so raised should be utilised to provide relief to the drought-stricken people of Marathwada. Referring to the Karnataka government's stand declaring drought in the state using old norms, he slammed the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashta government of dragging its feet by resorting to surveys.
Commenting upon the weather and the wind picking up speed at the grounds, the Sena president sarcastically remarked that this is the wind of Hindutva and termed it as a good omen for the future. He further remarked that the election winds of 2014 are no longer blowing today. Referring to the assembly elections in the five states, he opined that it was an uphill task for the BJP to retain power. Referring to BJP deputing its union ministers and chief ministers of states ruled by it, he said that this in itself is an admission of defeat. Referring to the ongoing viral social media campaign of #MeToo, he urged women to show courage in slapping their tormentor and assured that his Shivsainiks will stand by them. He added that despite the verdicts in the Nirbhaya and Kopardi cases, the accused are yet to be sent to the gallows.
In a related development, Shiv Sena's media relations in-charge Harshal Pradhan accused the Mumbai Police of manhandling and stopping senior Sena leaders like Milind Narvekar and even Shivsainiks coming from other parts of the state to reach to Shivaji Park in Dadar. He added that the police was acting on the instructions of their higher-ups in preventing Sena leaders and supporters from reaching the venue. He demanded that the police officers responsible for this should be transferred out of Mumbai.
In order to answer it's doubters who raise questions about crowds at the rally, the Shiv Sena used Drones to show the crowd gathered at the Shivaji Park in Dadar. Enthusiastic Shivsainiks from near and far areas like Palghar, Solapur, Dhule, and from all parts of the state, began arriving in the city. Shankar Metkar from Sangola (Solapur) wanted the Sena to contest the ensuing elections on its own.
Earlier, addressing the rally raising questions over demonetised currency, alleged that the center gave the contract to print new currency notes to China for a cost of Rs 40,000 crore. Referring to the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal, Desai remarked that the ghost of the Rafale scam is now firmly sitting on the shoulders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut, while speaking about his recent visit to Ayodhya, remarked that priests from Lucknow to Ayodhya feel that the Ram temple will be built at the hands of Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. Senior Sena Minister for Environment Ramdas Kadam remarked, “Come what may, the Sena should not have any alliance with the BJP in the ensuing elections.”