Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday announced a "Ram Raksha" protest in Maharashtra from July 5 and urged people to participate to hold the BJP accountable over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Thackeray said that on Sunday, July 5, supporters will gather at the Hanuman temple in Dadar, central Mumbai, recite the "Hanuman Stotra" and "Hanuman Chalisa", and demand that the BJP accept accountability for the alleged "theft" at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
"I appeal to all those agitated over this alleged large-scale theft at the Ram temple to join us and hold the BJP accountable for it", Thackeray told reporters.
Claiming that people across the country were facing multiple hardships, Thackeray said there was “chaos” and “indifference” towards public issues despite the BJP being in power in the Indian government and in several Indian states.
He said many Hindus, including members of the undivided Shiv Sena, had participated in the Ram temple movement and had endured hardships, including atrocities against "karsevaks", the Godhra train burning, the Ahmedabad riots and the Mumbai serial bomb blasts, but alleged that the BJP had politically capitalised on these events and was now enjoying “unchecked power”.
The former Maharashtra chief minister also accused the BJP of engineering defections and horse-trading of opposition legislators, asking whether the ruling party was carrying out an “Operation Ram Mandir”.
Referring to allegations circulating on social media and in the public domain regarding the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Thackeray questioned whether the allegedly stolen money had been used to poach opposition leaders.
Invoking former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's famous remark, "Ab Hindu maar nahi khayega", Thackeray said, “Now I want to say, ‘Ab Hindu maaf nahi karega’.”
He demanded strict punishment for those allegedly involved in the alleged theft from the Ram temple donation boxes, stressing that “loot in the name of Hindutva” would not be tolerated.
Thackeray also alleged that the BJP's slogan of “Mandir wahi banayenge” had turned out to be a facade and said the sacrifices made by those who participated in the Ram temple movement would not be allowed to go in vain.
The alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations came to light on June 7. An FIR was later registered on June 25 following a preliminary report by the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Eight people associated with the temple's donation collection and counting process have been arrested in the case, and the investigation is continuing.
