'Demolish Jama Masjid' and 'We destroyed Babri Masjid in 17 min': BJP, Shiv Sena try to outdo each other on Hindutva stakes

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sakshi Maharaj on Friday made a bid to stir the communal cauldron, as he called for the demolition of Delhi’s Jama Masjid. He said that he would be ready to be hanged if idols are not found below the staircase of the mosque,  The Indian Express reported_._ The MP from Unnao said that the Mughals played with the sentiments of the Hindu community and built more than 3,000 mosques after demolishing temples. He further said this was his first statement when he entered politics, and he continues to stand by it. [caption id=“attachment_5606811” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj. News18[/caption] With these comments, the controversial saffron leader appears to be seeking to outmaneuver his party’s ally, the Shiv Sena, which has been stepping up pressure on the BJP on the issue of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. In one of the Shiv Sena’s most strident comments on the issue, its leader Sanjay Raut asked the government as to how long it will take to bring an ordinance to build temple at the site where the Babri mosque was “demolished in 17 minutes by Ram bhakts”. “How long does it take to prepare papers… to bring ordinance… from the Rashtrapati Bhawan to Uttar Pradesh Assembly. They are all BJP governments,” the Shiv Sena leader said. Sakshi Maharaj has been an outspoken face of the BJP on a number of issues, including the Ram temple. On some occasions, he has also adopted a somewhat critical stance with respect to the Centre, an instance of which was when he said, “When an ordinance can be brought against triple talaq, why not on the Ram temple?” Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya on Saturday amid a clamour among Hindu outfits for bringing an ordinance to build Ram temple. However, Yogi Adityanath has denied him permission to hold any public gatherings, citing concerns that provocative remarks could stoke tensions. On Sunday, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is planning to organise a Dharam Sabha, an initiative which has been backed by the RSS and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, as reported by Hindustan Times. With inputs from PTI