Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday (July 5) slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the alleged donation embezzlement at the Ayodhya
Ram temple. At a gathering of hundreds of Shiv Sena (UBT) supporters in Mumbai's Dadar, Thackeray launched his “Ram Raksha” agitation. Notably, Thackeray began his address by reciting the Ram Raksha Stotra, Hanuman Chalisa and Maruti Stotra. Through the event, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief signalled a renewed emphasis on Hindutva, seeking to reinforce the ideological legacy that had been central to the party formed by his father, Balasaheb Thackeray. Addressing the rally outside the Hanuman temple in Dadar, Thackeray demanded an impartial probe into the matter. “If anyone loots a temple by misusing Hindutva, then Hindus will not spare them,” he said. Thackeray also gave a call for a “BJP-mukt Ram”, saying Lord Ram belongs to everyone.
श्रीराम मंदिर लुटीविरोधात रामरक्षा महाआरती | प्रमुख उपस्थिती - पक्षप्रमुख मा. श्री. उद्धवसाहेब ठाकरे | दादर, मुंबई - #LIVE https://t.co/FN8H3Opjuc
— ShivSena - शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) July 5, 2026
In his address, Thackeray alleged, “In the last 12 years, we thought our ‘bhagwa’ (saffron) government was in power. Atal ji (BJP stalwart and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) had said that now Hindus would not get beaten up. It is unfortunate that the people in power are looting Hindus.”
He said a robber cannot be asked to probe the robbery committed by him. It has to be done impartially or else a clean chit will be given to everyone, he said. The former Maharashtra CM also said he won’t sit quiet until there is an impartial investigation and exhorted his party workers to take the agitation to the village level.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo said that his father had awakened Hindus, but they are being “hypnotised” today.
BJP's Response:
The BJP hit back at Thackeray, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying he was glad that the Sena (UBT) chief had "finally remembered Ram" after allegedly abandoning the path shown by the Lord.Speaking to reporters in Gadchiroli on the sidelines of a programme, Fadnavis said, “Our only expectation was that he should remember Ram. He had abandoned Ram's path. That's why his party declined. If he walks the path of Ram, it will be good for him. Not just today, I expect that he will recite‘Ram Raksha’ every day.”
After Thackeray parted ways with the BJP and formed an alliance with the Congress and the NCP following the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls, the saffron party has repeatedly accused him of abandoning Hindutva. Maharastra's current deputy CM Eknath Shinde had also cited it as the main reason when he revolted against Thackeray in 2022 and split the Shiv Sena.
The alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations came to light on June 7. Later, an FIR was registered on June 25 following a preliminary report by the Special Investigation Team, which was constituted by the UP government. Eight persons associated with the temple’s donation and counting process have been arrested in the case, and the investigation is underway.
(With inputs from PTI)
