Shiv Sena (UBT) should stop hurting sentiments of Hindus: Devendra Fadnavis on Sanjay Raut's claim about Ram temple in Ayodhya

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic

Shiv Sena (UBT) should stop insulting the sentiments of crores of Hindus, Maharashtra Deputy Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday, a day after Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut raised doubts on the site of construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, reported news agency PTI.

Talking to reporters after visiting the temple of Mumbadevi, the deity after which Mumbai city has been named, Devendra Fadnavis 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 in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. And the act of hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus is wrong," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said while responding to a question on Sanjay Raut, reported PTI.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader on Monday claimed that the Ram temple in Ayodhya is being built four km away from the original place, reported PTI.

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday attacked Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar over the split in the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party and accused them of "stealing parties", reported PTI.

The Shiv Sena split in June 2022 after a rebellion by Shinde, while the NCP got divided after Ajit Pawar joined the state government along with eight MLAs in July last year.

"Some are stealing their uncle's party and some are stealing somebody else's party. Have the guts to form your own party and take us on," he said in a swipe at Pawar, whose uncle Sharad Pawar founded the NCP, and Shinde, whose Sena was started by Uddhav Thackeray's father late Bal Thackeray, reported PTI.

Hitting back, CM Shinde said, "We are taking forward Balasaheb's party. Those who gave up his ideology for power should not speak about us."

Eknath Shinde routinely accuses Thackeray of abandoning Hindutva to join hands with the Congress and NCP to become chief minister in 2019.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his scheduled visit to Kalaram Temple in Nashik amid Shiv Sena's plans.

Raut claimed that the Prime Minister's initial schedule did not include the visit to the temple but was later listed following Shiv Sena's announcement to visit on January 22.

(With inputs from PTI)