Maharashtra / BJYM, Shiv Sena workers clash over Ayodhya land issue in Mumbai

Mumbai: Workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s youth wing (BJP) and the Shiv Sena clashed in front of the Shiv Sena’s headquarters in Dadar on Wednesday over comments made by Sena leaders regarding the alleged scam in purchase of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. At least 40 Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers have been detained by the police.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday had said that the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust in Ayodhya should clarify regarding the allegations levelled against them. He also said that he spoke to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, who had originally levelled allegations of corruption and said that he found the evidence provided by the AAP lawmaker ‘shocking’.

“The Trust formed for the construction of the temple should clarify if the allegations are true or false. The temple's 'bhoomipujan' ceremony was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. They should also speak out,” Raut had said. He also said that the Shiv Sena was always committed to the building of the grand Ram Temple and it was a matter of faith for them as well as the people of the nation. Raut said that the members of the Trust were appointed by the BJP and Shiv Sena should have been made part of the body.

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant called the protests a ‘stunt’. Speaking of the clashes between both parties he said for ‘every action there is a reaction’.

Another Sena lawmaker said that the BJP workers were warned against protesting outside the party office. “They came with stones outside our office and you cannot expect us to sit inside. It is wrong to protest outside party offices,” Shiv Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar, who is also a Vibhag Pramukh from the area, said.

AAP’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh and a former minister in the Samajwadi government, Pawan Pandey claimed that the Shriram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai purchased a piece of land worth ₹2 crore at an inflated price of ₹18.5 crore for the Ram Temple premises and was aided by member Anil Mishra.