BJP must admit failure over Ram temple: Shiv Sena

Mumbai: Even as Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ‘jalpoojan’ ceremony of the Rs 3,400-crore Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj memorial, the Sena on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should admit its ‘failure’ over the Ram temple issue, as it had not been able to build the promised temple in Ayodhya despite having a huge majority in the Lok Sabha. The Sena also alleged the BJP has hijacked the memorial ceremony event for political gain.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said, “The trend of BJP hijacking events, whenever it is in power, is in bad taste and does not go down well with the public. The BJP had tried similar antics at the inauguration of Ram Mandir railway station here, where its workers shouted slogans in support of the Prime Minister. Before the elections, they showed the people the big dream of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya, which they have failed to do despite having absolute majority in the Lok Sabha. Now, they should accept their failure.”

“The BJP should not forget this memorial, is the dream of every citizen of Maharashtra. The previous government (Congress-NCP) also tried to start work on the memorial though it was unsuccessful for reasons best known to it,” Ms Kayande added.