Uddhav: No one can stop Modi-led government from building Ram temple

Uddhav Thackeray. Pic/AFP

Ayodhya: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said that under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, no one will ever be able to stop Ram temple from being constructed in Ayodhya. "We strongly believe that the temple will be constructed at the earliest. If the incumbent government, under the strong leadership of PM Modi, takes the decision to build it, no one will be able to stop them," Shiv Sena chief told media persons in Ayodhya on Sunday.

Thackeray further said that his party has requested the Central government to bring an ordinance for the purpose of construction of the temple. "The matter is stuck in court since so many years. We request them to make a law and build the temple," he added.

On being asked if his party workers will help in the construction of the temple the same way they helped demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992, he said, "If need be, it will be done. Both Shiv Sena and BJP are adherents of Hindutva. BJP must respect the feelings of the people who made them victorious in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Thackeray offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple along with his son Aditya and 18 newly-elected lawmakers of his party. The Shiv Sena has said the visit was to fulfil the promise Thackeray made last November to come to Ayodhya again after the elections. Eighteen Shiv Sena MPs had reached Ayodhya on Saturday evening.

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"Since Lok Sabha Session is slated to begin from tomorrow, I, along with Shiv Sena's 18 MPs, went to the temple to seek blessings of Ram Lalla. I will keep coming to the city."

"The case is in court for many years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has courage. If the government takes the decision, there is no one to stop it. Not only Shiv Sena, but Hindus of the whole world are also with this," Uddhav said while addressing a press conference after his visit to the Ram Lalla (or infant Ram) temple.

"The government should bring an ordinance for construction of Ram temple. The issue concerns all Hindus and the temple has to be constructed at the earliest," he said, raising the slogan of "kanoon banao, mandir banao (formulate law and construct temple)".

Maharashtra will be going to polls later this year and the visit is being seen as an attempt by the Shiv Sena to put pressure on ally BJP on the Ram temple issue. But Sena has maintained that Thackeray's visit should not be seen through the electoral lens. "For us Ram temple is a matter of faith and not politics," Thackeray said. "Whether it be Shiv Sena or BJP, we are working to make Hindutva strong. After understanding this, the government (of Narendra Modi) returned to power with more MPs. This means we have to respect people's feelings," he added.

When asked whether the Shiv Sena would risk its alliance with the BJP to put pressure on the government over the construction of the Ram temple, he quipped, "For a good work, thoughts also need to be good." The title suit over the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is being heard by the Supreme Court.

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