New Delhi: Shiv Sena Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on his maiden visit to Ayodhya on Saturday attempted to shake the BJP, its long time ally, out of a ‘Kumbhakarna’ like slumber and declare the date for the construction of the Ram temple.
He urged the BJP government at the Centre to bring legislation or an ordinance for construction of the Ram temple, saying his party will support it.
“Days, months, years and generations have passed… Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell us the date). First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later,” he said in what sounded like a dare to the BJP.
Thackeray and scores of Sena supporters arrived here just a day ahead of the Dharam Sabha being organised separately by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of a Ram temple on the disputed site.
Targeting the BJP, Thackeray said he is here to “wake up Kumbhakarna who has been asleep for four years”. Declaring his intent, Uddhav said though this is his first visit to the temple town it won’t be his last.
Indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character Kumbhkarna known for sleeping for months at a stretch, uddhav said, “Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years."
He said bringing a law on the temple's construction may have been difficult during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as it was a coalition government then. But the current government is strong, he said.
The Sena chief said he did not want to take the credit for the temple construction, and others were free to do so. "But how many years should we wait for the temple?
"Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict, he said, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land case before the Supreme Court.
The apex court had citing “other priorities” said it will set the dates for the future course of hearings only in January.
Uddhav coined a new slogan, “Har Hindu ki yahi pukar, pehle mandir fir sarkar” (This is every Hindu’s call — first comes the temple and then government).
Thackeray recalled former prime minister Vajpayee as saying, 'Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent."
'There is no political motive behind my visit to Ayodhya, he claimed.
The Sena chief was greeted with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" when he arrived in Ayodhya with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya.
After his remarks at Lakshman Kila, he, along with his family, went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers.
The Sena is believed to have sent in about 3,000 party supporters from Maharashtra by two trains.
The supporters took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanuman Garhi, Sena leaders said.
Thackeray is reported to have brought a pot of soil from Shivneri fort in Pune to be handed over to the priest at the Ram Lalla's temple when he meets him later.
There is a massive deployment of police in the city as seers and other people arrive for the VHP event.
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