Uddhav Thackeray alleges BJP ran 'Operation Ram Mandir', used 'stolen' temple funds to split political parties

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray pointed fingers at the BJP for the Ram temple embezzlement row and questioned the use of the issue for political gains

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the alleged Ram Mandir embezzlement of donations case by saying that the ruling party might be using the funds to “break political parties”.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused the ruling BJP of using the Ram Mandir embezzlement case to "break political parties" amid internal defections (HT/ Raju Shinde)

The Sena (UBT) chief's accusations come following the defection of six parliamentarians from his party to the Shiv Sena (Shinde), a member of BJP's National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

“Operation Ram Mandir”

While addressing a press conference on Friday, Thackeray raised the possibility of the BJP carrying out an “Operation Ram Mandir” in order to break MPs and MLAs away from their political parties.

“The way MPs and MLAs are being broken and this is being called an operation... Is the BJP carrying out an 'Operation Ram Mandir'?” he alleged while accusing the BJP of using the Ram Mandir embezzlement case for political gains, as reported by news agency ANI.

"There is evidence that theft has taken place. Some people are saying that the money stolen from the Ram Temple is being used to break political parties. Atal Bihari Vajpayee once said that Hindus will no longer be victims. Today, I say Hindus will no longer forgive those who are looting temples.”

Thackray also said that, if required, he can visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "I will certainly visit the Ram Temple with Amit Shah. If the BJP takes out another Rath Yatra, Shiv Sena will participate in it," he said.

“The Ram Temple movement saw the participation of Shiv Sainiks and many Hindus. The atrocities on the kar sevaks are remembered by everyone. Before this movement, the BJP had only two MPs. It is unfortunate that the Ram Temple is now in the news for another reason," he added.

Party defections

The statements from Thackeray come days after six of his party members defected to the Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena unit which falls under the NDA alliance. This decision follows previous remarks by MP Sanjay Raut indicating towards an unfavourable balance of power within the party with “some” being given too much, as previously reported by HT.

“We need to identify the character of person. Some get too much and it hurts party loyalists,” Raut said, as he called for introspection within the party. His remarks mirrored those made recently by UBT Sena's Sunil Shinde following former MLA Sachin Ahir's exit from the party.

Thackeray also launched a Maharashtra-wide “Ram Raksha” movement wherein Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders are scheduled to visit the Hanuman Temple in Mumbai’s Dadar West on Sunday evening to “recite the Ram Raksha Stotra, Maruti Stotra, and Hanuman Chalisa”.

“All Ram bhakts [devotees] angry over the loot in the name of Ram Temple should participate in it,” he said while openly inviting everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, to join the movement “against the loot in the Ram Temple donations across the state”.