We demolished Babri Masjid in 17 minutes, why Modi govt is taking so much time on Ram Temple: Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut

In a controversial statement just before the Uddhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut today said that government should urgently enact a law to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Raising party's demand for quick construction of Ram Temple, the Shiv Sena MP said: "We took just 17 minutes to demolish disputed Babri Masjid, how much time will the NDA government take to enact a law."

"From Rashtrapati Bhavan to UP there is BJP's government. In Rajya Sabha there are a lot of members who will stand with (the issue) of Ram temple," Raut said.



The controversial statement comes just two days before a large gathering -- Dharam Sabha -- to be organised by various Hindutva groups in Ayodhya to intensify the demand for construction of temple. Around 3,000 Shiv Sena activists on Thursday left for Ayodhya in two special trains from Thane and Nashik to join party President Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to visit Ayodhya tomorrow and stay till Sunday as part of his party's push to build a Ram temple there. Thackeray's visit is expected to build pressure on it ruling ally BJP to expedite the construction plans for the proposed Ram Temple before the next year Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier in the say, NDA ally Shiv Sena demanded the ruling BJP to bring a law and declare a date for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Slamming the BJP, the Sena said those in power should be proud of Shiv Sainiks who had "destroyed Babur's raj in Ram Janmabhoomi". The Babri Masjid was built in Ayodhya n the orders of Mughal emperor Babur.

In an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena said it neither moves around with a begging bowl asking for votes in the name of Lord Ram nor does it indulge in "jumlebaazi" (rhetoric) during polls.

"Why did those, who call themselves pro-Hindutva, start getting a stomach ache when we announced our plans of going to Ayodhya? We are not going there for political purposes," the Sena said in the editorial.

It claimed the party had not given the slogan "Chalo Ayodhya", but Shiv Sainiks were going there for Lord Ram's darshan and also because Ayodhya is "nobody's private place".

"There is no Ram raj there now, but the raj of the Supreme Court. However, in 1992, Balasaheb's ShivSainiks had destroyed Babur's raj in Ram Janmabhoomi. Instead of being scared and jealous of such Sainiks, those in power should be proud of them," the Sena editorial claimed.

(Inputs from PTI, ANI)