The controversy over Ram Mandir and Slogan chanting in Rajya Sabha have gripped Maharashtra with both - ruling and opposition - sides trying to corner each other. In an unusual contest, the youth wing of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has planned to send lakhs of letters to mark their protest against each other.
It all started with remarks made by NCP chief Sharad Pawar in reaction to Prime Minister Narendra Modi being invited to the “bhoomi pujan” for Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya amidst coronavirus pandemic. The ceremony has been tentatively scheduled to happen on August 5.
While speaking to reporters in Solapur earlier, Pawar took a jibe at PM Modi saying that some people think that building a temple would help tackle the coronavirus outbreak. He advised the central government to give more attention to COVID-19 and economic crisis which has troubled the country.
This didn’t go well with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) as they decided to send 10 lakh letters to Pawar at his residence in Mumbai with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ stamped on the postcard.
Vikrant Patil, Maharashtra BJYM President, said that the feelings of all Ram devotees are hurt. Labelling Pawar’s remarks as “unfortunate”, Patil informed that they will send 10 lakh letters stamped with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ to the NCP supremo.
On Wednesday, several letters were sent by BJP Yuva Morcha activist via post from Panvel. The BJYM had appealed citizens and party activist across Maharashtra to send a sizeable number of letters addressed to ‘Silver Oak’ in Mumbai as a mark of their protest.
Meanwhile, a fresh controversy broke out after Vice President Venkaiah Naidu objected to slogans - ‘Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji’ - raised by BJP MP Udyanraje Bhosale during the oath ceremony in Rajya Sabha.
Bhosale, who is the 17th descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, gave slogans to honour the Maratha warrior king at the end of his oath as the newly elected member of Rajya Sabha. However, Naidu took objection and said that no slogans were allowed in the house.
“It is not a house, it is my chamber. Nothing will go on record, only oath. The new members should keep in mind that no other slogans will be allowed,” the Rajya Sabha chairman had said while administering oath to 45 newly elected members.
Despite Udyanraje defending the Vice President, Naidu’s remarks created a huge ruckus among the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena even protested in Aurangabad against the “insult” to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Now, the youth wing of NCP has decided to send 20 lakh letters to the Vice President expressing their resentment against him for raising objection to “Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji” slogans in Rajya Sabha.
Mehboob Shaikh, Maharashtra NCP youth wing chief, said that the 20 lakh letters which will be sent to Naidu will be inscribed with ‘Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji’. Shaikh further said that Naidu who has been a BJP leader has insulted the great historical figure like Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
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