Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday launched the party's 'Ram Raksha Andolan' over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, accusing the BJP-led Centre of "looting Hindus" and attempting to reclaim the Hindutva narrative associated with the Shiv Sena founded by his father, Bal Thackeray.
Addressing party workers after reciting the Ram Raksha Stotra, Hanuman Chalisa and Maruti Stotra at Dadar in Mumbai, Thackeray alleged that Hindus were being misled.
"Today Hindus have been hypnotised. I urge all Hindus across the country to wake up and fight against those looting Lord Ram," he said.
Targets BJP Over Ram Temple Row
Thackeray alleged that the Narendra Modi government had failed to safeguard the faith of devotees and claimed that alleged irregularities in donations at the Ram Temple reflected a larger pattern.
"The Narendra Modi government is a government that is looting Hindus. It started with Kedarnath-Badrinath, now it is Ayodhya. They say Ayodhya was a trailer and Kashi and Mathura are yet to come. I am worried about the loot there," he said.
Referring to allegations linked to temple donations, he claimed that even a civil servant who had donated over one kilogram of gold was questioning how it had been utilised.
Reviving Bal Thackeray's Hindutva Legacy
Invoking his father Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief repeated the slogan, "Garv Se Kaho Hum Hindu Hain" (Be Proud to Say We Are Hindus), asserting that his party remained the true custodian of Hindutva.
He also drew parallels with the Ramayana, saying, "Ram bhakts will burn the golden Lanka of Ravan. We will burn the Lanka of injustice."
The protest marked the beginning of the Ram Raksha Andolan, which the party plans to expand across Maharashtra and later to other states.
Political Significance
The campaign comes amid an ongoing battle between the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions over the legacy of the original Shiv Sena and Bal Thackeray's Hindutva ideology.
The BJP has denied allegations of any organised financial irregularities in the Ram Temple donation case, although arrests have been made in connection with the alleged embezzlement and former trust general secretary Champat Rai has stepped down from his position.
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