‘I don’t respond to fools’: Fadnavis after posting old photo as ‘proof’ for role in Ramjanmabhoomi movement

Fadnavis said he was 17 then and associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the RSS student wing.

“On December 6, 1992 when the Babri structure (mosque) was pulled down, I was present at the site,” Fadnavis said. “It was a mammoth crowd. There was tension and excitement. All our stalwarts—LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti et al—were present,” he said. “In the BJP/RSS/VHP everybody knows the role of individuals. There was no reason for giving anybody else any more explanation.”

जुनी आठवण…
नागपूरहून प्रकाशित होणार्‍या ‘दै. नवभारत’ने मला हे छायाचित्र आवर्जून पाठविले. अयोध्येला जाणार्‍या कारसेवकांची नागपूर रेल्वे स्थानकावर गर्दी उसळली, तेव्हाचे हे छायाचित्र.
छायाचित्रकार शंकर महाकाळकर यांनी ते टिपले आहे. उद्या (22 जानेवारी) अयोध्येत… pic.twitter.com/v3NFbCSY1v

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) January 21, 2024

“Why should I respond to those who compromise on Hindutva for power? All these raising questions were sitting in their homes when we were doing kar seva at Ayodhya. They had no courage to come out and fight for the rights of Hindus, for the rights of Lord Ram at Ayodhya,” he said.

Fadnavis said he would visit Ayodhya to get a darshan of Lord Ram in February.

While the Shiv Sena has said it had played an important role in the Ram mandir movement, the BJP has alleged not a single Sena (UBT) leader was involved in it.

“Why should I explain to those who questioned the very existence of Lord Ram,” Fadnavis said, referring to the Congress. “Look at the irony today Shiv Sena (UBT) is in alliance with the Congress, which raised question marks on Lord Ram and the temple.”

“I was elated on receiving the old photograph of kar sevaks (including me) standing at the Nagpur station. We were waiting to board the train to Ayodhya. To us Lord Ram and Ayodhya temple are matters of deep faith. It is not about politics,” he added.