Sena seeks memorial for ‘mandir drive martyrs’ like Amar Jawan Jyoti in Delhi

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Feb 22, 2020: The Shiv Sena on Friday called for the construction of a “memorial” along the Sarayu river in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, to pay “tribute to the brave martyrs who laid their lives down for the cause of Ram Mandir”, Hindustan Times reported.

 

In its mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party suggested that the memorial can be along the lines of the Amar Jawan Jyoti in Delhi, which is a “constant reminder of the bravery of our soldiers”.

“Those who were martyred were not from one political party or outfit. They conducted a surgical strike for the country, religion and faith,” the editorial said.

The party’s response comes two days after Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, which is Sena’s ruling partner in the state, asked the Centre to form a trust to construct a mosque, along the lines of the Ram Mandir Trust.

Reacting to media reports that the Ram Mandir temple trust has a deadline of 2024 to complete the construction of the temple at Ayodhya, the Saamana said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will gain benefits from the completion of the construction in the next Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for the same year.

“It is evident that Lord Ram will be the chief guest of the [BJP’s] election campaign, because the issues of Pakistan or surgical strike will not work in 2024 election,” the Saamana editorial said, taking a jibe at the party’s erstwhile ally, adding, “Ram Mandir is a matter of religious pride and faith, but if it is will be politicised, then who will take it upon themselves to stop it [politicisation]?”

The Saamana also suggested that the leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nitish Kumar and Sharad Pawar should be invited for the temple’s bhoomipoojan.

The party also said the contribution of other outfits such as the Sena itself, and Bajrang Dal, towards the “Ayodhya

movement cannot be forgotten”.

“Those who climbed the dome of Babri also included Shiv Sainiks, and Balasaheb Thackeray had admitted it without fear. But the Sena never used it for political leverage,” the editorial said.