16 January,2024 02:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Devendra Fadnavis/ File Photo
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took part in a temple clean-up drive at Mumbai's Mumbadevi temple in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demand for national cleanliness ahead of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration. Fadnavis, along with other BJP officials, emphasised the importance of the project, inviting people of all faiths to participate in temple cleanliness drives, stated a report in ANI.
He was quoted in ANI report as saying, "Our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has urged everyone to clean the temples across the country before the Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya. Under the same initiative, we too did a cleanliness drive at our Mumbai's deity, Mumbadevi temple. I think this is a really good initiative and people of all religions should go to their places of faith and undertake this cleanliness drive."
The cleanup drive has spread across the country, with Union Minister Anurag Thakur cleaning the Hanuman Temple in Delhi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh helping to clean the Hanuman Temple in Lucknow. The effort, announced by BJP president JP Nadda, will last till January 22, which coincides with the Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Swachhata Abhiyan programme by cleaning the Kalaram Temple in Nashik. He invited residents to join in cleanliness activities at temples and pilgrimage sites across the country in preparation for the consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir on January 22.
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Deputy CM Fadnavis took a jab at Sena (UBT)
Deputy CM Fadnavis took a jab at Shiv Sena (UBT) and said they should stop insulting the sentiments of crores of Hindus. Reportedly, Sena MP Sanjay Raut had raised doubts on the site of the construction of Ayodhya Ram Mandir.
During press interaction after having visited the Mumbadevi temple, he said, "I don't respond to fools. But I can say one thing - stop insulting Hindus. You (the Shiv Sena UBT) don't have any contribution to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. And the act of hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus is wrong."
Raut, on Monday, claimed that the Ayodhya Ram Mandir is being built four kilometres away from the original place.
With agency inputs
