Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Maharashtra's chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhyay lashed out at the state government for taking action against party workers who celebrated the Bhumi Pujan of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He compared the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to that of the Moghul tyranny from medieval India.
"By taking action against the party workers who were peacefully celebrating the Bhumi Pujan of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has shown that it has brought alive the tyrannical Moghul rule in Maharashtra", stated Upadhyay at a press conference held at the BJP state office.
Upadhyay further stated: "The party had instructed all its activists across the state to celebrate the joyous occasion while complying with all the rules and regulations enforced during the coronavirus pandemic situation. Yet the police tried to prevent the celebrations by use of force in some places. In Pimpri-Chinchwad, activists had decided to distribute 10 lakh laddus. However, the police prevented the distribution of laddu and sweets. In many places, images and flags of Lord Rama were seized. The programmes were not allowed at Indapur, Baramati, and Saswad. In Vidarbha, police threatened activists at Amravati, Badnera, Paratwada, Pusad, and Akola. The police used threatening language - 'If there is an event, look, we will file a case.' Banners and flags were not allowed in Nagpur."
"In Nashik, the police rejected the request to celebrate the festival by following all the rules of keeping a safe distance in the Kalaram temple area. Barricades were set up all over the Kalaram temple premises. Finally, MLA Devyani Farande broke the ban and performed Aarti on Ramkunda. While in Parbhani, the police stopped the distribution of sweets and arrested the activists. Flags were not allowed to be hoisted at Malegaon. Several activists celebrating the occasion at Parli were arrested. The city president and other office-bearers were detained at the police station for three hours for performing Aarti at Sinnar. In many places, the names of the activists who participated in the program were noted down."
According to BJP, the women activists were not allowed to hold celebrations at Karad. "Activists were also threatened by police in Akluj, flags and buntings were not allowed to be hoisted. Seeing all this it appears that the government had a hidden agenda of not allowing celebrations to take place," said Upadhye.
Upadhye further pointed out that in the Ahmednagar district, the police had registered cases against the activists who were celebrating in Kopargaon, Shrirampur, Sangamner, Nevasa, and Shevgaon.
Further expressing his agony, he stated, "These incidents have exposed the true nature of the Shiv Sena which had once said that it has not given up Hindutva because of its alliance with the Congress. It is clear from these incidents that the Sena left the path of Ram Rajya for power and accepted the tenants of a tyrannical Mughal rule."
