Mungantiwar appreciates Uddhav’s Ayodhya gesture
Just after the recent spat between the state's forest minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar, of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, over the killing of tigress Avni, Mungantiwar seems to be extending an olive branch to the Sena.
Uddhav and his family, along with Sena leaders and workers, have gone to Ayodhya to symbolically pour Shivneri soil for the construction of the proposed Ram mandir. Uddhav is credited with having snatched the issue of Ram mandir from the clutches of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Instead of falling into the trap of setting off yet another controversy, Mungantiwar patted his friend Uddhav's back.
"What is wrong if a friend competes for a good cause?" questioned Mungantiwar. "Every Hindu strongly feels there should be a Ram mandir," he claimed.
Mungantiwar also appreciated the 'Chalo Ayodhya' call given by Uddhav to perform a maha arti on the banks of Sarayu river. He rubbished claims of any conflict between the two parties. "Both our parties are on the same wavelength. Our party chief, Amit Shah has said we too want a Ram mandir. There is no conflict on this issue," he said.
He also tried to deflect the issue of the Sena and the BJP going it alone in the upcoming
polls. "It is fine if Uddhav thinks Sena wants a mandir first, before government, but I do not think he means Sena will break the alliance or is saying do not hold polls, or that polls should be held after construction of the Ram mandir begins," asserted Mungantiwar.
"Maybe, with the blessings of Ram, our alliance will only get stronger and we will be re-elected to power," he hoped.
What is wrong if a friend competes for a good cause? Every Hindu strongly feels there should be a Ram mandir. Maybe, with the blessings of Ram, our alliance will only get stronger and we will be re-elected to power –SUDHIR MUNGANTIWAR State Forest Minister