Journalism of Courage
To push its Ram temple agenda, BJP ally Shiv Sena has decided to felicitate the families of karsevaks, who had lost their lives during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Shiv Sena’s UP in-charge, Anil Singh, said on Thursday that the families will be honoured in ‘Rambhakt Sammelans’ that the party will organise from next month. A formal announcement will be made by party state in-charge and MP from Aurangabad, Chandrakant Khaire, on August 24 in Varanasi.
Khaire will be in Varanasi to lead party workers to perform ‘Jalabhishek’ at the prohibited Shringar Gauri Temple near Gyanvapi mosque. While entry of public at Shringar Gauri Temple is prohibited, on August 2, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) workers were arrested while on way perform Jalabhishek at the temple.
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Singh said Shiv Sena has identified families of over 20 karsevaks who had lost their lives during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. “The first Rambhakt Sammelan will be organised in Kanpur where the party will honour the families of eight karsevaks, including of Kothari brothers, who had died during the movement. Besides an appreciation letter and a shawl, financial help will also be provided to these families who are living in a poor condition following the deaths of the karsevaks,” he added.
Singh said Shiva Sena — which will contest the upcoming panchayat elections in UP — will also felicitate a Muslim family in Ayodhya, which had provided food and first aid care to karsevaks who were injured in police firing.
“Through Rambhakt Sammelans, Shiv Sena wants to send a message that interests of Hindus are its priority and it has not forgotten the karsevaks who had sacrificed their life during the temple movement. These sammelans will connect Hindus with Shiv Sena and strengthen the Rem temple agenda,” he added.
Taking a dig at BJP, the MP said: “These events will show difference between Shiv Sena with BJP because BJP has been distancing from the Ram Temple issue after coming to power at the Centre.”
Singh also demanded that the UP government use the tarpaulin sheet — offered by Shiv Sena — to cover the makeshift Ram Lala temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. On July 27, it had offered the sheet to the Ayodhya administration on the birth anniversary of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
“We went to Ayodhya on July 27 to replace the worn-out tarpaulin sheet. But the administration did not allow us. The sheet is still in the administration’s possession. Now, when the Supreme Court has allowed the replacement, we demand that the administration uses the one offered by Shiv Sena to cover the temple,” Singh said.
