Shiv Sena (UBT) Targets BJP, Hindutva Groups Over Alleged Silence on Ram Mandir, NEET Controversies

Mumbai, June 2026 : Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led governments and the Hindutva organisation Sakal Hindu Samaj, accusing them of selectively raising issues while remaining silent over alleged financial irregularities linked to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir and the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.

In a strongly-worded editorial published in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit questioned why organisations that frequently organise protests over issues such as alleged “Love Jihad”, religious conversions and cow slaughter had not shown similar enthusiasm when controversies involved people allegedly associated with their own ideological camp.

The editorial alleged that Sakal Hindu Samaj had chosen to ignore serious allegations surrounding the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. Drawing a metaphor from mythology, it claimed the organisation was “sleeping like Kumbhakarna”, while “Lord Ram and his family have once again been sent into exile.”

Referring to recent reports of alleged theft and financial irregularities involving donation boxes and silver articles at the Ram Mandir, the editorial noted that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had registered cases against eight individuals. However, it alleged that prominent figures associated with the temple trust, including trustee Champat Rai, had been spared from investigation.

The editorial also revisited previous allegations concerning land transactions linked to the Ram Mandir Trust. It claimed that certain individuals with alleged links to the BJP and the temple trust had purchased land at low prices before selling it to the trust at significantly higher rates. According to the editorial, evidence relating to these transactions had earlier been submitted to the SIT by Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh but was not pursued further.

Taking a sarcastic swipe at Hindutva organisations, the editorial suggested that protests and public outrage only emerge when allegations involve members of the Muslim community. It remarked that if rumours were spread claiming the arrested accused had Muslim identities, these organisations would likely have reacted immediately, but because the accused were Hindus, they had remained silent.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) also linked its criticism to the alleged NEET-UG paper leak scandal, claiming that Maharashtra had emerged as one of the key centres of the case. It referred to the arrest of several individuals, including a coaching institute operator, and alleged that some of those accused had links with Hindutva organisations and the BJP.

According to the editorial, the paper leak had severely affected the careers and aspirations of thousands of students, with reports of extreme mental distress among candidates. Despite this, it alleged that organisations claiming to champion Hindu interests had not launched any significant protests to support affected students.

The editorial further expanded its criticism by citing other issues that, according to the party, had received little attention from pro-Hindutva groups. It referred to statements allegedly made by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari regarding cattle slaughter in West Bengal and claimed there had been no widespread protests despite the issue being closely associated with Hindutva politics.

It also alleged financial irregularities at the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain under the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, questioning why similar levels of public mobilisation had not been witnessed over those allegations.

Concluding its editorial, Shiv Sena (UBT) argued that the Ram Mandir movement had played a defining role in shaping contemporary Hindutva politics and the rise of the BJP. The party alleged that while the temple had become a powerful political symbol, those claiming to protect it had remained silent over controversies surrounding its administration, raising questions about what it described as selective activism and political double standards.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)