Admit temple is a jumla, Uddhav taunts PM Modi

Dares PM to build one; otherwise, Sena will do the needful

The BJP was put in the pillory on Thursday by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for dithering on construction of Ram temple. In the same breath, he challenged the prime minister to undertake the construction; otherwise, the Sena will do the needful.

"You go to countries which we might not have even heard of. But why haven't you gone to Ayodhya in the last four and a half years?" Thackeray asked PM Modi, addressing his annual Vijay Dashmi rally.

"I will go to Ayodhya on November 25 and recall the poll promise made by PM Modi. If you do not begin construction, I will gather all Hindus at Ayodhya and begin the construction,” Thackeray asserted.

Taunting the BJP government, Thackeray said, "Mandir wahin banayenge par taareekh nahi batayenge (We'll build the temple, but won't set a date) approach won't do... Construct the temple or admit that even this was a jumla (fake promise),"

The Sena feels that the BJP has intentionally diluted its Hindutva plank – of which the temple is the pivot – to be perceived as pan-India party. Uddhav had this at the back of the mind when he declared: "We warn all those who think that Hindutva has died. We are still alive.’’ The rally was held in Dadar and reportedly attended by more than 2 lakh people.

Uddhav’s criticism wasn't restricted to the Ram temple. In his speech, he accused the BJP of failing on several fronts - from reining in inflation to ensuring the security of women. "Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad says that inflation is not in our control; that fuel prices are not in our control. I ask them 'what is in your control if you can't control inflation, you can't ensure the safety of women’," he said.

‘‘An avatar of Lord Vishnu is with you and yet nothing is in your control," Thackeray said in zest, taking a dig at a recent statement made by BJP spokesperson Avadhut Wagh hailing PM Modi as the "eleventh avatar of Vishnu".

He predicted that the BJP could be voted out of power because it lies through its teeth. "The country has become a volcano because of

"MANDIR WAHIN BANAYENGE PAR TAAREEKH NAHI BATAYENGE… “INFLATION IS NOT IN OUR CONTROL; FUEL PRICES ARE NOT IN OUR CONTROL. WHAT IS THEN IN YOUR CONTROL… AN AVATAR OF LORD VISHNU IS WITH YOU AND YET NOTHING IS IN YOUR CONTROL"

your lies. Once this erupts, you will never be able to come back to power," he said.

The Shiv Sena chief talked tough on Pakistan, too, and accused PM Modi of not having a consistent policy. "Their prime minister comes for the swearing in of our prime minister. Our prime minister goes there to celebrate the birthday of their prime minister. You whimsically declare Pakistan is your friend or enemy, whenever it suits you. You continue playing cricket with them. Is there any rationale behind your foreign policy? And yet, you claim you will come to power in 2019," said Uddhav."

Citing Karnataka’s example, Thackeray said, “Maharashtra should declare drought, instead of submitting fact-finding reports.’’