Shiv Sena (UBT) Slams BJP Over Ayodhya Ram Temple Donation Irregularities

Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday hit out at the BJP over the alleged irregularities in donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, claiming the alleged "robbery" reflected a complete breakdown of law and order.

In an editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamana, the party accused the BJP of "looting" the Ram Temple and also targeted Union home minister Amit Shah over the issue.

The editorial read, "The country has now witnessed what 'temple development' actually means--namely, the looting of the deity's donation boxes--at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Donations, gold, silver, and jewellery at the Ram Mandir were brazenly looted. Kar Sevaks shed their blood and made the ultimate sacrifice for the Ram Mandir, yet it was the BJP that looted that very temple. The way Mahmud of Ghazni looted the Somnath Temple, the BJP has looted the Ram Temple. "

"At least such thefts and robberies have not occurred at the Ambabai Temple. The robbery of the donation box at the Ram Mandir represents a complete collapse of law and order. They cannot even protect the Ram Mandir, yet they have the audacity to talk about developing our Ambabai Temple," the paper stated.

According to news agency ANI, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) also alleged a nexus between the alleged "looters" and Union home minister Amit Shah.

"Many major temples across the country have been looted over the last decade, and all these looters appear to be within the BJP, sitting right in Mr Amit Shah's lap. Shah alleges that Uddhav Thackeray is sitting in the lap of the Congress party--a party trying to sustain its existence by using infiltrators as a 'vote bank.' This is his anti-Maharashtra vitriol. They themselves are the looters of the Ram Mandir and the assassins of democracy. These people, who made no contribution to the freedom struggle, dare to point fingers at Thackeray. This is a sign of Shah's deteriorating mental health," the editorial stated.

The attack on Amit Shah comes days after his public meeting in Kolhapur, where he referred to the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the "real Shiv Sena" and spoke about the renovation and corridor development project at the Mata Ambabai Temple.

Meanwhile, the BJP has come under sharp criticism from opposition parties over the Ram Temple donation controversy.

Earlier, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal questioned the alleged lack of action in the case, claiming that no FIR had been registered despite allegations of large-scale theft of temple donations.

Meanwhile, on June 14, the Uttar Pradesh government set up a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged irregularities in donations made at the Ram Temple, acting on a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust.

The SIT comprises IAS officer Vijay Vishwas Pant, divisional commissioner of Lucknow; IPS officer Kiran S, Inspector General (Range); and Neel Ratan, Special Secretary in the Finance Department.

The panel has been tasked with submitting its preliminary and final reports at the earliest.(With agency inputs)