Lord Ram In Exile Despite Bringing "Achche Din" For BJP: Shiv Sena

If the Ram temple is not built in Ayodhya, the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP would be termed a "liar" and ousted from power, the Shiv Sena said today.

Lord Ram brought "achche din" (good days) for the BJP, but the party failed to fulfill the promise of building a temple dedicated to him at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, it claimed.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has been targeting the BJP for "delaying" the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya despite having a majority in Parliament.

"The BJP is in power at the Centre and in many states. It can easily go for the construction of Ram temple, otherwise it would be considered a liar and get thrown out of power," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

The Sena claimed that the temple chief priest recently accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of merely gives slogans of "Jai Shriram" but does not utter a single word about the (temple) construction. "This is also the sentiment of Hindus," the Shiv Sena added.

The feeling during the UP elections was that if the BJP wins, it can easily go for the temple construction. But, the ruling party has started harassing those who speak for it, it claimed.

Mahant Paramhans Das, who was on hunger strike over the demand for Ram temple construction, was picked up by police and taken to the hospital on medical grounds, it said.

"Since when has the BJP started worrying about Hindu activists who agitate for the construction of the Ram temple?" the article questioned.

Around three decades ago, a large number of devotees of Lord Ram were killed in police firing, the Sena said. "The BJP gained momentum since then and now has a strong political mandate. (Lord) Ram brought 'achche din' for the BJP but the God himself is in exile," the Shiv Sena mouthpiece claimed.

The BJP's stance that the fate of temple construction will be decided in the Supreme Court is hypocrisy, the Sena claimed.

"Pointing fingers at the court is akin to running away from the situation," it said. Protests across the country for the temple constriction were not started after seeking court permission, it added.

If the Centre can issue ordinance on issues like the instant triple talaq and the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by setting aside court decisions, then why can't it issue ordinances for Ram temple construction and implementation of the uniform civil code, it said.