Uddhav Thackeray announces ‘Ram Raksha’ protest over Ram Temple donation theft row, says ‘Hindu maaf nahi karega’:

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday announced a “Ram Raksha” protest from July 5 in Maharashtra over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.Addressing reporters, Thackeray said party workers and supporters would gather at the Hanuman temple in Mumbai’s Dadar on Sunday to recite the Hanuman Stotra and Hanuman Chalisa before demanding that the BJP take responsibility for the alleged “theft” at the temple. “I appeal to all those agitated over this alleged large-scale theft at the Ram temple to join us and hold the BJP accountable for it,” he said, as quoted by PTI.Thackeray alleged that despite the BJP being in power at the Centre and in several states, people across the country were facing multiple hardships and public issues were being ignored.Recalling the Ram temple movement, he said many Hindus, including members of the undivided Shiv Sena, had made sacrifices and endured hardships, including atrocities on karsevaks, the Godhra train burning, the Ahmedabad riots and the Mumbai serial bomb blasts. He alleged that the BJP had politically benefited from these events and was now enjoying “unchecked power”.The former Maharashtra chief minister also accused the BJP of engineering defections and horse-trading of opposition legislators, questioning whether the ruling party was carrying out an “Operation Ram Mandir”.Referring to allegations circulating in the public domain over the alleged misappropriation of Ram temple donations, Thackeray questioned whether the money had been used to poach opposition leaders.Invoking former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s remark, “Ab Hindu maar nahi khayega,” Thackeray said, “Now I want to say, ‘Ab Hindu maaf nahi karega’.”He demanded strict action against those allegedly involved in the embezzlement, saying “loot in the name of Hindutva” would not be tolerated. He also alleged that the BJP’s slogan of “Mandir wahi banayenge” had proved to be a facade and said the sacrifices made during the Ram temple movement would not be allowed to go in vain.The alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations came to light on June 7. An FIR was registered on June 25 after a preliminary report by a Special Investigation Team constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government. Eight people associated with the temple’s donation collection and counting process have been arrested so far, and the investigation is continuing.