Modi’s statue removed from Pune temple amid criticism

Four days after a temple of Narendra Modi was inaugurated in the Aundh area of Pune district, the statue of the Prime Minister had to be removed amid widespread criticism and embarrassment.

The Maharashtra BJP leadership seems to have distanced themselves from the issue and the cellphone of Mayur Munde, the local builder who made the temple, remained switched off throughout the day.

Coinciding with Independence Day festivities, Munde, a local BJP activist, erected a temple and board hailing Modi for his leadership.

According to Munde, it was his tribute to Modi who built the Ram temple at Ayodhya, abrogated Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir and ended the practice of triple talaq.

"I thought that for a person who built Ram temple in Ayodhya, there should be a shrine, so I decided to construct this temple on my own premises," he had said.

Also read: BJP worker in Pune builds temple for Modi

A total of Rs 1.6 lakh was spent to make the temple and the red stone and marble was brought from Jaipur.

The Congress and NCP have come down heavily on the BJP for the act even as there was widespread criticism by the public at large.

The NCP unit also undertook a protest and the Pune unit President described it as intellectual bankruptcy.

“After the temple came up, there was a sense of optimism in the city... There were hopes that the fuel prices would come down, inflation would come down and people would get Rs 15 lakh in their accounts. However, we came here to worship and saw that the 'God' is missing from the temple," he said.

“It is the mentality of slaves,” said the Pune Congress Seva Dal unit in a tweet.