MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday strongly backed extreme right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha’s lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar, saying he was felicitating an advocate who is fighting for his own people and not Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. Raut also criticised the BJP government for delaying construction of the Ram mandir and appealed to Hindus to “join the Shiv Sena in Ayodhya for construction of the mandir soon.” “Abhi nahin toh kabhi nahin (it’s now or never),” he said.Punalekar, who is national general secretary of Sanatan Sanstha’s legal wing, was felicitated by Raut at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh on Monday evening. The event was organised by Rashtriya Patrakar Manch, a journalists’ group affiliated with the Hindu Janjagran Samiti.As soon as Raut reached the venue, NCP MLC Vidya Chavan along with a few party activists put up placards condemning the Sena man’s presence for the function sponsored by the Sanstha. “A Sena leader should not have attended a programme led by an organisation which has had a role in killing social reformers like Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh,” Chavan said.Raut, in his speech, slammed NCP for holding a protest and said he had received calls for two days suggesting he should not attend. “I received an invitation on behalf of Rashtriya Patrakar Manch to felicitate Punalekar. As an invitation by a journalists’ group to felicitate an advocate, I accepted. What is wrong with that?” he asked.After the function, Raut told the media the court had nothing to do with the mandir issue. “Hundreds of kar sevaks and saints went to Ayodhya and became martyrs 25 years ago. The Union government should issue a notification on mandir construction as this is not a legal issue but a political and religious issue,” he said. He asked why the Modi government was delaying mandir construction. “BJP has a President, PM, CM in the state and governor as well. It is in power only because of Ram and the Hindu community,” Raut said.Punalekar also slammed BJP, saying, “BJP comes to power in the name of Hindus and mandir but now no one is saying a word on Ayodhya. Both Congress and BJP are durjan (bad) and need to be taught a lesson.”