Didn't take permission to demolish mosque, why then for building temple: Shiv Sena on Ayodhya dispute

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and help in building the temple, the party said.

MUMBAI: An ally in the Narendra Modi government, Shiv Sena has questioned the Centre over why it is not taking any action to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya. "No permission was sought for demolishing the mosque, why then do you need it to build the temple," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.

He also said that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and help in building the temple. "The Sena has always championed the cause of Ram temple in Ayodhya. The BJP, despite being in power for four years, has not yet fulfilled its commitment of building a grand Ram temple there," he said. 

Senior Sena leader Arvind Sawant pointed out that before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the ruling NDA had given three assurances to people -- to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and to solve the Kashmir issue.

Article 370 of the Indian Constitution accords special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. "We are not doing something which we haven't spoken of earlier. When nobody took responsibility of the Babri Masjid demolition, (Sena founder) Balasaheb did so. Now four-and-a-half years have passed (since NDA came to power) but the construction of Ram temple has still not begun and the issue is pending in court," Sawant said.

"The Sena will stand for the issue," the Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai South constituency said.