Announce date for Ram temple construction says Uddhav Thackeray in Ayodhya

The Sena reiterated its demand that an ordinance be brought before 2019 for constructing the temple.

This is Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya and party leaders, including MP, Sanjay Raut, and others had been camping here for the last few days to make preparations for the visit./ PTI Image

Ayodhya: Arriving in Ayodhya ahead of a planned VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government on Saturday to spell out the date when it will be constructed. Day, months, years and generations have passed, he said. Mandir wahin baneyenge, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell the date), he said. First say when will you construct the temple, the rest we will talk later, he said in what sounded like a dare to the Bharatiya Janata Party government ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections. Thackeray arrived in Ayodhya for a two-day visit, which he claimed was not a political. Without naming the BJP, the Shiv Sena likened it to 'Kumbhakarna', a character from the epic Ramayana mythicised for his long sleeping spells. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is in Ayodhya to wake "Kumbhakarna" from his "deep slumber" to set the ball rolling for the temple's construction, the party said. The Shiv Sena chief is reported to have brought a pot full of soil from the Shivneri fort in Pune, which will be handed over to the priest at the Ram janmabhoomi when he meets him later. This is Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya and party leaders, including MP, Sanjay Raut, and others had been camping here for the last few days to make preparations for the visit.