Eknath Shinde donates Rs 11 crore for Ayodhya Ram mandir construction

Mumbai: Taking the cause of Hindutva further, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has donated Rs 11 crore for the construction of Ram mandir in Ayodhya.

Firebrand leader and orator-par-excellence Balasaheb Thackeray, who founded Shiv Sena in 1966 for the cause of Marathi manoos, had been part of Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

Shinde’s son and Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde led a delegation to the temple town of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and met Shree Ram Mandir Teerth Kshetra general secretary Champat Rai and handed over a cheque of Rs 11 crore.

The junior Shinde was accompanied by state Industries Minister Uday Samant, party spokespersons Naresh Mhaske, Ashish Kulkarni and party secretary Bhau Chowdhary.

“We are donating Rs 11 crore in memory of late Balasaheb Thackeray. We also remember the Shiv Sainiks who contributed to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement,” he said.

Over the last few years, Shinde, when he was part of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government and now as the Chief Minister, had travelled to Ayodhya.

After the rebellion in the Shiv Sena, Shinde had said that political steps were taken to ensure that the cause of Balasaheb and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe and the lakhs of Shiv Sainiks are taken ahead.

The development comes ahead of the 22 January consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at the grand temple under construction in Ayodhya.