 "Ayodhya dispute: If Ram temple is not built, BJP will lose, says Shiv Sena")
If the Ram temple is not built in in Ayodhya, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be termed a "liar" and ousted from power, the Shiv Sena said Tuesday.
Lord Ram brought "achche din" (good days) for the BJP, but the party failed to fulfil the promise of building a temple dedicated to him at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, it said.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has been targeting the BJP for "delaying" the construction of 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 pointed out that the temple chief priest recently said Prime Minister Narendra Modi merely gives slogans of "Jai Shriram" but does not utter a single word about the (temple) construction. "This is also the sentiment of Hindus," it 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 said.
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Mahant Paramhans Das, who was on hunger strike over the demand for Ram temple construction, was picked up by police and taken to hospital on health grounds, it said.
"Since when has the BJP started worrying about Hindu activists who agitate for the construction of the Ram temple?" it wondered.
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 Marathi daily said.
The BJP's stance that the fate of temple construction will be decided in the Supreme Court is hypocrisy, the Sena said.
"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.
"It was the Shiv Sena workers who hit the Babri Masjid with hammer. Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray even took responsibility of the act. Now, your (BJP) government is in power," said the Sena, which is a constituent of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra.