Making a pitch for the construction of Ram temple, the Shiv Sena chief also reminds Modi government of its Hindutva legacy.
Ayodhya: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government Saturday by comparing him to ‘Kumbhakarna’, the brother of demon-king Ravana in Ramayana, at a gathering in Ayodhya.
Thackeray also made a strong pitch for the construction of Ram Mandir in the Hindutva stronghold.
“I have not come here to do politics. I have come here with a legacy, an ideology,” said Thackeray.
“My father used to say that Hindutva is in our breath. If we forget Hindutva, that is if our breath is stopped, what will happen to us?” said Thackeray.
The Shiv Sena chief made the comments while addressing a gathering at Lakshman Tila, located less than 5 km away from the disputed site in Ayodhya where Babri Masjid was demolished on 6 December, 1992, by Hindu radical activists, sparking communal violence across the country.
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‘Mandir wahin banayenge’
Targeting the Modi government, Thackeray said, “Today, I have just come to wake up the sleeping Kumbhakarna.”
“Kumbhakarna was not just in Ramayana, even today he exists. He used to sleep for six months and today’s many Kumbhakarna have been sleeping for the last four years. Today, I have come to wake them up,” he said.
“Many days, months and years have passed. Mandir wahin banayenge, mandir banayenge lekin taarekh nahin batayenge (They say they will make a temple but they won’t tell us the date),” he said.
He added, “Today, we want the date of temple construction. First tell us when you will construct the temple, the rest of the things will be said later.”
On Saturday, saffron Shiv Sena flags and hoardings carrying Thackeray’s image which proclaimed “Pehle mandir, fir sarkar (Temple first, government later)” flanked the leader’s entry to Ayodhya.
The city of Ayodhya is set to witness another public gathering Sunday when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is expected to address around two lakh “Ram Bhakts”.
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