'BJP is eyeing massive gold reserves of Padmanabhaswamy Temple'; Congress and Shiv Sena present evidence

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has alleged that following the Waqf Bill, the BJP has now set its eyes on the lands belonging to Christians, Jains, and Buddhists. Citing an article in the Organiser, he also claimed that the BJP is eyeing even Hindu temples for the benefit of its friends.

“If the BJP truly worships Lord Ram, they should try to follow his values and conduct. After introducing the Waqf law, they are now targeting the lands of Christians, Jains, and Buddhists — and even Hindu temples. They will hand over key locations to their friends. The truth is, they have no love for any community. It’s time for the people to wake up. The BJP has made its intentions clear,” Thackeray said while speaking at the inauguration of the party’s IT and communication wing, Shiv Sanchar Sena.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress president Harshavardhan Sapkal alleged that the BJP is misusing the Waqf law as a tool for land acquisition. “When the British decided to set up their capital in Delhi and began acquiring land, there was a strong demand to protect places of worship. It was in response to this that the 1913 Resettlement Act granted special protections to temples, mosques, and gurudwaras, leading to the formation of the Waqf Board to ensure the security of religious properties. Now, the BJP is misusing the Waqf Bill to seize land. But their real target is the massive gold reserves of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala,” he alleged.

NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Jitendra Awhad also alleged that Christians are next in line after Muslims on the BJP's radar. In a social media post, he pointed out that an article in Organiser, the mouthpiece of the RSS, stated that the Catholic Church — not the Waqf Board — is the largest landowner in India.