The inauguration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has gathered some of the country's most prominent personalities. Uddhav Thackeray's absence from the guest list prompted BJP leader Girish Mahajan to suggest that he wasn't invited because he hadn't made any contributions to the temple's construction or the kar seva. In response to Mahajan's derogatory comments, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has issued a retort, defending Thackeray and criticizing the remarks made by Mahajan.
In an interview with ANI, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, "Those who are asking what is the contribution of Uddhav Thackeray, tell what is your contribution?... When the Ayodhya movement was going on, those who consider themselves warriors today ran away from there and at that time Balasaheb Thackeray came forward and said I am proud of Shiv Sainiks who have done this work for Ram Temple..."
Following Sanjay Raut's statement, netizens have reacted with varying opinions. One user expressed the sentiment that "Uddhav is not Balasaheb! Uddhav didn’t go to Ayodhya with karsevaks!" Another user commented, "In Shiv Sena, except Balasaheb, no one has a contribution, and if anyone has done it, then they have lost because of political selfishness." These responses highlight diverse perspectives on the leadership and contributions within Shiv Sena.