Union Minister Narayan Rane was on Sunday slammed after he said the Shankaracharyas should bless the Ram temple instead of criticising some aspects. He also accused them of looking at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP through a “political prism”.
On Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said Rane insulted Hinduism by questioning the contribution of the Shankaracharyas. He also sought Rane's dismissal from the Narendra Modi government, asking the BJP to apologise.
"The BJP must apologise before January 22 (when the idol consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple will take place in Ayodhya). The BJP must apologise to the people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi must sack Rane from the Union cabinet," Raut said.
On Saturday, Rane told media, “No one could do it until now. Modi, BJP took it up and a temple is being built. Should they bless the temple or criticise it? It means Shankaracharyas look at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP through a political prism. This temple is not built on politics but on religion. Ram is our God," Rane said.
"Shankaracharyas should tell what is their contribution to the Hindu religion," he had said.
Rane's remarks came after reports said that Shankaracharyas of Shri Shringeri Sharda Peeth Karnataka, Dwarka Sharda Peeth in Gujarat, Jyotir Peeth in Uttarakhand and Govardhan Peeth in Odisha would not attend the consecration ceremony.
Jyotirpeeth Sankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati had reportedly said it would not be right to perform a consecration ceremony as the temple construction is yet to be completed.
