No alliance with BJP till decision on Ram Mandir: Uddhav

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, December 24

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the Shiv Sena would not tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party till a decision was taken on the construction of a Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.

"We want the BJP to take a decision on the Ram Mandir, farm loan waiver and the crop insurance scheme before talking to us for an alliance," Thackeray said at a rally in the pilgrimage town of Pandharpur this afternoon.

He went onto say that the NDA was coming apart with a large number parties leaving the alliance. "The Shiv Sena would contest the 2019 elections on its own," Thackeray added.

Today's rally at Pandharpur in Solapur is part of a series of rallies being undertaken by Thackeray for the construction of a temple at Ayodhya. Today's rally with the slogan 'Pehle Mandir, Phir Sarkar', coincided with a gathering of religious leaders called the Dharam

Sabha organised by the party in the temple town.

Thackeray, who organised a Shiv Sena event at Ayodhya last month said he was in Pandharpur to expose the BJP. "I am here to wake up the sleeping Kumbhakarna. You used the Ram Mandir issue to win elections and you have now gone to sleep," he said.

Hitting out at the BJP for the delay in the construction of the temple, Thackeray accused the national party of fooling the people. "It's been 30 years and you say the matter is still in court. Hindus are innocent but are not fools," Thackeray said. The Shiv Sena chief then called for a discussion on the Ram Mandir in parliament. "Let the views of others in the NDA on the issue of Ram Mandir be known to the people," Thackeray added.

He then went onto claim that members of the Shiv Sena were responsible for demolishing the Babri Masjid. "Shiv Sainiks were responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid," Thackeray said.

"You have given contracts to a company which has no experience. You cannot give our soldiers a hike in pay which they need. But you do some scam in the purchase of arms and ammunition.... A farmer told me he saw even lime trees getting infected for the first time in his life. I responded that even watchmen have become thieves (Halli paharekarich chorya karaylaa laagale aahet)," Thackeray said referring to the Marathi equivalent of 'Chowkidar Chor Hai'.