New Delhi, November 26: Union Minister Uma Bharti said on Monday that Bharatiya Janata Party doesn’t have a patent on Ram Temple and supported Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya. The senior BJP leader made these comments days after she said that the time for construction of the temple has come and even it has to be built over her dead body, then so be it.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the Union Minister said, “Yes, I appreciate Uddhav Thackeray for his effort. BJP doesn't have a patent on Ram Mandir, Lord Ram is for all.” The above comments were made by Bharti after two BJP lawmakers - Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Ballia lawmaker Surendra Singh – alleged that Thackeray hijacked Ayodhya’s agenda. Ram Temple in Ayodhya: Spiritual Leaders Reiterate Demand for Ordinance on Construction.

Among other things, she also appealed to the opposition party’s leaders - Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP), Akali Dal, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and SP leader Azam Khan – to support in the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Accusing Shiv Sena of hijacking the movement, Surendra Singh said on Sunday that those who "don't even have the mentality to serve humanity" can't serve Lord Ram, while Maurya was of the opinion that "Shiv Sena had no role in the temple movement."

However, the opposition parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party had slammed BJP for evoking the Ram Temple issue before the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. The leaders of the parties are of the opinion that this is being done to divert the attention of the people from the Union government’s failures.

It is to be known that Shiv Sena chief participated in the Dharma Sansad, organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad near the Saryu river, on November 25. Over 2 lakh people were supposed to participate in the event, but only 50,000 turned up.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 26, 2018 07:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).