Modi targets 'loudmouths' on Ram temple; jibe may hurt Sena

In a jibe without naming ally Shiv Sena, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Supreme Court is hearing the Ram Mandir case and asked "some loudmouths" to refrain from making statements on the issue.

"I am amazed at the 'bayan bahadurs and badbole' (loudmouths) on the Ram Mandir issue. Every one in the country respects the Supreme Court. The apex court is hearing the case. I want to tell these people with folded hands to have faith in the judicial system," Modi said at a rally here.

Shiv Sena has been demanding construction of the Ram temple and asking the Modi government to take steps in that direction like it did on Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday demanded that the Centre take a "courageous decision" to bring in a law to build a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"It has been our demand from last year that a special law must be brought in and Ram Mandir should be built... The issue has been going on since 1992. How many years should we wait? We are hearing that the issue is in the final stages in the court. We appeal to the courts to give it decision on the issue.

"However, beyond that we expect that Centre should not wait for court order and use it powers. The Centre took a courageous step in abrogating Article 370. It is out request that the Centre would do the same for Ram Mandir issue," the Sena chief had told reporters here.

Modi said the first 100-day tenure in his second innings as the PM focussed on promise, performance and delivery. "There is a push for development, a message of India's global power, welfare of people and efforts for employment opportunities," he said.

"Rs 20,000 crore were put in farmers' accounts so far out of which Rs 1500 crore was in accounts of farmers in Maharashtra," he said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis thanked Modi for the trust reposed in him in 2014 when he was made the CM.

On the Mahajanadesh Yatra undertaken by him to reach out to masses ahead of the Assembly polls, Fadnavis said, "In the yatra, I have put forward my report card to the people. There is no corruption allegation (against me) in the last five years.

"I have tried my best to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of the people. I have done my best. In the next tenure, I will focus on making the state drought-free and making Maharashtra a one trillion dollar economy," Fadnavis said.