Sena alleged that the decision of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to depute 400,000 volunteers to meet 1,200,000 families across the country for collecting donations had political motives.
Mumbai| The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to use the public donation drive for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya to fund its campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the ruling Shiv Sena here alleged today, in its mouthpiece Saamana.
In an editorial of Saamana, Sena alleged that the decision of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to depute 400,000 volunteers to meet 1,200,000 families across the country for collecting donations had political motives. “This is just a campaign in the name of Ram temple. It is time for political parties to stop using the Ram temple issue and focus on developmental issues,” the editorial read. Such a political campaign disrespectful to those who laid their lives for the creation of Ram temple, it said. Who are these volunteers who will collect money? Who has appointed them?” the editorial questioned.
Questioning the very concept of public donation for the construction of the temple, the editorial said: “Lord Ram was the king of Ayodhya and we have all fought a war for the construction of his temple. This involves the pride of India. People have sacrificed their lives for this campaign. Hindus across the world have donated generously for this construction. Then what is the purpose of this donation drive?”
The Maharashtra based party has already donated Rs 1 crore for the construction of the temple.
However, deriding the Sena for its opposition to public donation, the BJP said in a press release: “Those who believe in extorting will never be able to understand the concept of public donation. This money is for Ram Mandir which is a national monument and not for someone’s private property. Hence it will be constructed by public money and not by extortion.”
Sena’s assertion that it was time to delink Ram temple from the political agenda was understandable as it had turned secular for power, it further said.
It was ironic that the party which was creating obstacles in development was talking of developmental politics, the saffron party taunted its former ally.
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