Uddhav Thackeray Announces Ram Raksha Protest Against BJP

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray announced a statewide protest movement on Friday, July 3, 2026, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of corruption linked to donations for the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The protest, named "Ram Raksha Andolan," is scheduled to begin with a gathering at the Hanuman temple in Dadar, Mumbai, on Sunday, July 5, at 4 p.m.

Thackeray alleged that funds donated for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya have been siphoned off and that this money is being used by the BJP to engineer defections and "horse-trading" of opposition legislators. He termed this alleged scheme an "Operation Ram Mandir." Thackeray called on Ram devotees across Maharashtra to gather at temples to recite hymns and demand accountability from the ruling party, stating this was just the beginning of a broader mobilization.

The former Maharashtra chief minister invoked the historical sacrifices made during the Ram Temple movement, referencing the participation of Shiv Sainiks and Hindus nationwide, and cited hardships including atrocities against karsevaks and past riots. He claimed the BJP had capitalized on that movement to gain political power but was now betraying the faith of...