Declare Temple building date, Uddhav Thackeray nudges PM Modi

Ayodhya (UP): Amid heightened security, Ayodhya’s tense weekend began on Saturday with the arrival of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on the eve of a VHP rally here for the construction of a Ram temple at the site where the Babri Masjid once stood.

Mr Thackeray, whose party is a discontented and bickering ally of the BJP, is in the temple town to extend his support to the rising chorus of right-wing Hindu outfits for an ordinance to build the temple. But also to, simultaneously, grab the politically volatile Ram temple issue for himself while chiding the Modi government for promising a temple but doing nothing about it.

Soon after alighting from a private jet, Mr Thackery launched a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, in his brief speech at Laxman Qila, dared the BJP government to clarify its stand before the Lok Sabha elections.

The Shiv Sena president said that he had come to Ayodhya to awaken the “Kumbhakarana... who has been sleeping for four years” to declare the date for Ram temple’s construction.

“Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge… Day, months, years and generations have passed,” said Mr Thackeray, whose two-day visit coincides with the gathering of thousands in the town ahead of the Vishva Hindu Parishad’s Dharam Sabha being held in Ayodhya on Sunday to push for the construction of Ram temple.

The Sena chief, who was accompanied by his son Aditya and wife Rashmi, is reported to have brought a pot of soil from Shivaji’s Shivneri fort in Pune that he will hand over to the priest at the Ram Lalla temple on Sunday.

On Saturday, Mr Thackeray and his party supporters took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Hanuman Garhi, Sena leaders said.

Mr Thackeray, who was initially planning to hold a rally in the holy town on Sunday, was denied permission by the authorities.

Ahead of his visit Section 144, restricting the assembly of more than four people, was imposed in Ayodhya as a precautionary measure. The town was virtually turned into fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones to keep an eye on possible mischief-mongers.

Describing his first visit to Ayodhya as purely apolitical, Mr Thackeray, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case before the Supreme Court, said, “Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict.”  

“First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later,” he said adding that bringing a law on the temple’s construction may have been difficult during Atal Behari Vajpayee’s term as it was a coalition government but there is no such constraint on the Modi government.

Invoking his late father and Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, he said, “My father always said that Hindutva was in our blood. I want to know how long we will have to wait for the temple?”

The town donned a saffron hue with Shiv Sena posters and flags lining the streets and party supporters shouting, “Pehle mandir, phir sarkar”.

In a conciliatory move, Mr Thackeray asked the 3,000 Shiv Sainiks to return to Mumbai on Saturday night itself, leaving the field clear for VHP on Sunday.

The Shiv Sena, which does not have any presence in Uttar Pradesh, is trying to find a foot-hold in the Hindi heartland with the Ram temple issue. The Sena also hopes to win over north-Indians in Maharashtra where Assembly elections are due next year.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said earlier that it was the Sena that had demolished the Babri mosque in 17 minutes and then wondered why it was taking the BJP so long to bring a legislation for the construction of Ram temple.

On Sunday, the VHP has claimed that tens of thousands of people will attend what some leaders claim is the final Dharam Sabha for the construction of Ram temple.

“After this, no more Dharam Sabhas will be held and the construction of the temple will commence,” VHP’s Bholendra said.

Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay said that adequate security arrangements have been made by the police and district administration in Ayodhya, located 120 km from state capital, Lucknow.

A UP police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of  provincial armed constabulary (PAC), five companies of Rapid Action Force, commandos and drones have been deployed.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed concern over tension in Ayodhya and said if required the Army should be deployed in the town.

Talking to reporters on Friday, Mr Yadav had said, “The Supreme Court should take notice of the situation in Uttar Pradesh. It should seriously consider the matter and bring in the Army, if required... As the BJP and its allies can go to any extent.”

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati slammed the BJP and the Shiv Sena, saying they are raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to divert attention from their failures.

“Had their intentions been good they needn’t have waited for five years. It’s their political tactic, nothing else,” she said in a statement.