Ram Mandir struggle not one party’s programme: Shiv Sena

Reacting to the decision to set up the Teerth Kshetra Trust for construction a Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday gave a backhanded compliment to

Reacting to the decision to set up the Teerth Kshetra Trust for construction a Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday gave a backhanded compliment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for implementing the Supreme Court (SC) order.

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“The Supreme Court had given the historic verdict for building the temple and it was the duty of the (BJP) government to abide by the verdict. We congratulate PM Narendra Modi for taking steps to fulfil its duty in the matter,” chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said in a statement tweeted by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.

Later, Raut said that the fight to build a Ram temple was not of any one political party. “Firstly, the credit should be given to the people who have sacrificed their lives [for the issue]. This was not a programme of one political party. Whoever wants to take credit for it can do it, but the fight was of lakhs of Hindus,” he said.

Thackeray is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on March 7. Sena MP and former union minister Arvind Sawant, said, “It was Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream. He always emphasised that Ram temple should be built in Ayodhya.” Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, meanwhile, “applauded” the decision of the Union Cabinet to form the trust.