Demanding to know as to why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not gone even once to Ayodhya during the last four and a half years, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said that if the ruling BJP declared its poll promise of building a Ram Mandir was nothing but a “jumla”, then his party, along with Hindus living across the country, would undertake the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya.
Addressing a largely attended annual Dussehra rally at the historic Shivaji Park in north-Central Mumbai, Uddhav announced that he would go to Ayodhya on November 25 to remind the ruling BJP of its failure to keep its promise of building Ram Mandir there.
Mincing no words against the Narendra Modi government for its failure to keep its promises, including the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, Uddhav said: “You (the ruling BJP) have so many false promises to the people that the country is on the verge of erupting like a volcano.... You promised that you would deposit Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of everyone. Later on you said that promise was a jumla. My challenge to you shameless fellows: either you fellows build Ram Mandir or declare the repeated promise to this effect was a jumla. Then we will see what is to be done".
“Hence I have decided that I will go to Ayodya on November 25. We have nothing against Modi. But I would like to tell him not to play with the sentiments of the people. This is not a normal promise. This concerns Lord Sri Ram. You have been touring all over the world. But, I would like to know from Modi as to why he has not found time to visit Ayodhya during the last four and half years?,” the Sena president asked.
“You ( Modi) may not have gone to Ayodhya during the last four and a half years, but I – as the son of late Bal Thackeray – will go to Ayodhya with a saffron flag in hand. I will be going there for the first time to remind you about your poll promise of building Ram Mandir there. If you do not start building Ram Mandir, then we the Shiv Sena – along with Hindus across the country — will build the Ram temple there,” Uddhav said.
Uddhav slammed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for his remark that his party leaders had made all kinds of promises to the people during the 2014 elections because they knew that the BJP would not come to power. “I would like to tell Nitinji. You are also a Mahrashtrian like us. It is not the Maharashtrian culture to mouth lies. What late Balasaheb has taught us; think a lakh times before you make a promise to the people. But once you make the promise, you will keep the promise come what may”.
Hitting out at Modi and his Cabinet colleagues at the Centre for not bothering about fulfilling the promises made to the people during 2014, Uddhav said: “Instead of concentrating on developmental works, Modi, his Cabinet ministers and BJP chief ministers are now camping in five Assembly poll-bound states. I call this as a big defeat for you. Even if you win those elections, will you be able to solve the problems of the people those states?”.
Slamming Union Minister Ravi Shanker Prasad for his comment that the Government could not do much about the hikes in, Uddhav said: “What do you mean you can’t do anything? How can you cannot bring down rates of petrol, diesel and cooking gas or reduce inflation? You have Lord Vishnu’s 11th ‘avatar’ with you but you cannot stop inflation and galloping fuel prices and zooming US Dollar rates. If you can’t do this, then are you sticking to power…?,” Uddhav asked.
Targetting Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for his failure to declare drought in Maharashtra, Uddhav said: “Karnataka has already declared a drought and started relief measures, but in Maharashtra, the CM is still studying the issue… If Fadnavis does not declare a drought in Maharashtra in the next few days, then the Shiv Sena will take to streets to protest against the State Government”.