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Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Ayodhya, November 24
Arriving in the holy city ahead of Sunday’s Vishwa Hindu Parishad rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today sought to know the date from the Narendra Modi government as to when it would be built in Ayodhya.
“Mandir wahin banayenge, tareekh nahi batayenge, nahi chalega. Aaj hum Ayodhya ayen hain tareekh tai karne (Will build the temple but will not tell the date is not going to work any longer. I have come to Ayodhya to fix the date),” announced Thackeray after receiving the blessing of seers at Laxman Qila Maidan.
Reiterating the “Pehle mandir, phir sarkar’ (first mandir, then government)” slogan, he claimed all Hindus wanted the temple built at the earliest and that his party would support an ordinance on the issue. Making it clear it was not a turf war, the Shiv Sena chief said he would be more than happy if the BJP built the temple and took the credit for it.
“But any further delay is unacceptable. I have come to awaken the ‘Kumbhkaran’ who has been asleep for the past four-and-a-half years,” he declared. Thackeray arrived in the holy city accompanied by wife Rashmi and son Aditya.
Despite the media build-up and the large number of Shiv Sainiks brought to the city in chartered trains, the event was a damp squib with local participation practically nil. Even the seers, who had ostensibly come to “bless” Thackeray, left after receiving gifts without waiting for him to finish his address.
The Sena chief, who went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers, asked the Sainiks to return to Mumbai on Saturday night, leaving the field clear for the VHP supporters on Sunday.
He is scheduled to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram temple on Sunday and hand over an urn of soil brought from the Shivneri fort in Pune to the chief priest.
‘CALL ARMY’ DEMAND
Rebel minister in the Yogi Adityanath government OP Rajbhar has demanded that the Army be called. The demand was first raised by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who claimed “the BJP does not believe in either the Supreme Court or the Constitution and can go to any extent”.
A BJP PLOT, SAYS MAYAWATI
BSP chief Mayawati on Saturday alleged the BJP had deliberately left it to its allies — the Shiv Sena, RSS and VHP — to raise the pitch for Ram Mandir. “The BJP is losing in Chhattisgarh and MP. Raising the temple issue at this juncture is a ploy.”
SECURITY BLANKET
To ensure peace, the UP government has deployed an Additional DGP, a DIG, three SSPs, 10 Additional SPs, 21 DSPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of the PAC, five of the Rapid Action Force, ATS commandos and drones in Ayodhya.
VHP’S DHARAM SABHA
The VHP expects one lakh supporters to attend the Dharam Sabha on Sunday. It has been holding processions to mobilise support. To maintain peace, Ayodhya has been turned into a fortress, with each district divided into eight zones.
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