New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent social media reel in which he said he "wanted to forgive" student protesters who abused him, asserting that the students had not sought forgiveness and remained determined to continue their fight.
"Modi ji said that I am forgiving the children. Where did the children go to his doorstep to say, 'Prime Minister, we protested at Jantar Mantar, please forgive us?' The children did not ask you for forgiveness, so why are you forgiving them? The children are still standing firm to fight; they will fight. He writes a new script every time and posts it on Instagram," Raut told ANI.
Commenting on the Ram Mandir donation theft row and the attack on Purnea MP Pappu Yadav, the UBT Sena leader said the issue concerns people's faith and deserves answers.
"There is nothing controversial about it. Theft has taken place at the Ram Mandir. The disappearance of around Rs 550 crore out of roughly Rs 1,400 crore from the donation boxes is a serious matter. We all agitated and shed blood for the Ram Mandir. If theft happens at the Ram Mandir, it is a matter of our faith and devotion, and we will all ask questions. If an attack takes place on Pappu Yadav, you (the government) will have to pay the price for it," Raut said.

The Ram Mandir donation row centres on allegations of missing funds and cash theft from the donation boxes at the Ayodhya temple, prompting an ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.

Last week, Purnia MP Pappu Yadav sparked a controversy by imitating a priest and collecting donations while criticising the government over the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft row.

On Sunday, the controversy surrounding the Parliament Ram Mandir skit intensified after a clash broke out at the residence of Purnia MP Pappu Yadav, who had portrayed a temple priest wearing saffron robes during the performance in Parliament on Friday. The clash erupted while Pappu Yadav was holding a press conference, during which individuals allegedly attempted to confront him, leading to a scuffle between them and his supporters.

Speaking to reporters after the incident, Yadav alleged that the episode was an attempt to assassinate him and claimed that a bounty had been announced against him.
"Babas are saying every day, 'Kill me, burn me down; we will give Rs 51 lakh.' We caught him and handed him over to the police. There was a plot to kill me, but I survived," Yadav said. He further alleged that the person involved in the incident was carrying a knife.

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.