MUMBAI: A fresh political confrontation erupted in Maharashtra after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Ram Temple donation theft controversy, prompting a sharp response from the ruling party.
Launching his “Ram Raksha” campaign at a gathering outside the Hanuman Temple in Dadar, Thackeray accused those in power of misusing Hindutva and alleged that those responsible for looting a temple would not be forgiven by Hindus. During the event, he recited the Hanuman Stotra, Hanuman Chalisa and Ram Raksha Stotra, while urging supporters to stand against what he described as the misuse of faith for political purposes.
The BJP responded swiftly, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying Thackeray’s political decline began after he “abandoned Ram’s path.” He added that remembering Lord Ram and following his ideals would benefit the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, expressing hope that Thackeray would continue reciting the Ram Raksha Stotra regularly.
The exchange comes against the backdrop of significant political challenges for Thackeray’s party. After losing power in 2022 following a split led by Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena (UBT) recently suffered another setback when six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs joined the Shinde-led faction. Both groups continue to claim the political legacy of Bal Thackeray, with the BJP and Shinde camp alleging that Uddhav Thackeray moved away from the party’s traditional ideological position after ending its long-standing alliance with the BJP.
BJP leader Nitin Nabin also criticised the Opposition, accusing it of repeatedly questioning Hindu beliefs and lacking the moral authority to lecture the BJP on matters of faith. He maintained that while any shortcomings in the temple theft case would be addressed, parties that had previously criticised Hindu traditions could not claim to be defenders of the religion.
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