Uddhav Thackeray to lead Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Ram Raksha Andolan in Nagpur today

Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray is set to lead the partys Ram Raksha Andolan in Nagpur on Saturday July 18 as the opposition outfit intensifies its campaign over alleged irregularities in donations made to the Ayodhya Ram TempleThackeray accompanied by Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray left Mumbai from Matoshree on Saturday morning for Nagpur to participate in the programme which is scheduled to begin at 430 pm at Ram Mandir in RamnagarThe event is expected to witness the participation of party leaders workers and supporters from across the Vidarbha regionNagpur event holds political significanceThe Nagpur programme is being viewed as politically significant because the city houses the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS making it an important ideological centre in Maharashtra politicsShiv Sena UBT has been conducting the Ram Raksha Andolan across Maharashtra alleging irregularities in the handling of donations made by devotees at the Ayodhya Ram Temple and demanding a fair investigation into the matterThe Nagpur event marks the second phase of the campaign after its launch in Mumbai earlier this monthUddhav Thackeray launched campaign in MumbaiEarlier Uddhav Thackeray formally launched the Ram Raksha campaign in Mumbai and criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP alleging that it had remained silent over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram TempleAddressing party workers Uddhav Thackeray said Lord Ram belonged to the entire country and should not be associated with any political partyHe also demanded an impartial investigation into the alleged financial irregularities involving temple donationsAccording to Shiv Sena UBT reports of alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple surfaced in June The issue has since become a political flashpoint although the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team SIT to investigate the allegationsInvoking Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray Uddhav recalled the slogan Garv Se Kaho Hum Hindu Hain and accused the BJP of failing to address concerns raised over the alleged donation irregularitiesHe also made BJPmukt Ram the central theme of his address asserting that Lord Ram belonged to the entire nation and not to any political partyRam does not belong to any political party Ram belongs to the entire nationWe will not keep quiet till an impartial inquiry is conducted in the donation theft We will fight till the case is taken to a logical endSanjay Raut invites Mohan Bhagwat and Devendra FadnavisAhead of the Nagpur programme Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut wrote separate letters to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inviting them to attend the Ram Raksha AndolanIn the letters Raut alleged that the reported misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple had deeply hurt the faith and trust of Hindus and appealed to both leaders to participate in the campaignRaut requested Bhagwat to attend the event personally or depute a representative if he was unable to be present Similar invitations were also extended to BJP leaders and elected representatives from the regionCampaign seeks probe into alleged donation irregularitiesAccording to Shiv Sena UBT the Ram Raksha Andolan has been launched to demand transparency and accountability over the alleged misuse of donations made by devotees at the Ayodhya Ram TempleThe party has said it will continue organising the campaign across Maharashtra until an impartial investigation into the allegations is completedThe Uttar Pradesh government has already constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged financial irregularities However the issue continues to fuel political exchanges between the ruling BJP and the opposition with the Nagpur programme expected to be one of the campaigns most significant events due to its political and ideological backdrop