The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday attacked Samajwadi Party (SP) over its criticism of the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Accusing the opposition of hypocrisy and questioning its commitment to matters of faith, the UP CM said those who had fired on Ram devotees in the past were now trying to portray themselves as protectors of religion.
Referring to the 1990 police firing on karsevaks during the Ayodhya movement, Adityanath said that hey fired on Ram devotees and today they are talking about faith.
His remarks came at the Panchayat Aaj Tak event. The remark was aimed at the then Uttar Pradesh government led by Mulayam Singh Yadav under whose tenure police opened fire on karsevaks heading towards the disputed Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya. According to official records, at least 17 people died in the firing and subsequent clashes.
Addressing the Ram Mandir donation theft case, Adityanath acknowledged that the incident had hurt the sentiments of devotees but maintained that the state government acted promptly after the allegations surfaced. He also said the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust functions independently and that the government did not interfere in its affairs. However, once the matter came to light, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the allegations.
According to the Chief Minister, six accused have been arrested so far, while others allegedly involved in the case have also been taken into custody. He added that additional action was taken on moral grounds.
Questioning the Opposition’s criticism, Adityanath said parties that had attacked faith and presided over lawlessness while in power were now attempting to present themselves as defenders of Hinduism. “They are making the theft of temple offerings the central issue today, but they do not talk about the scams and misdeeds that happened when they were in power,” he said.
The Chief Minister also accused the Samajwadi Party and Congress of trying to obstruct the construction of the Ram Mandir and creating controversies around religious places. He further alleged that the two parties disrespected Hindu faith by allowing namaz to be offered on the steps of Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya. “If you are truly secular, you should have also had Hanuman Chalisa recited in a mosque. But that didn’t happen. It was a one-way affair,” he said.
Without naming any leaders, Adityanath also targeted what he described as do yuvraj (two princes), accusing them of representing dynastic politics. He claimed both leaders were born with privilege and were disconnected from the struggles of ordinary people.
“Both yuvrajs were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They are used to waking up late. One went to Australia to enjoy the FIFA World Cup, the other visited the US on a tourist visa. Whose money did they go on?” he said.
The Chief Minister further accused the Samajwadi Party and Congress of attempting to polarise society for political gains, while asserting that voters had recognised their politics. Highlighting the BJP government’s work in Ayodhya, Adityanath said the city had witnessed significant religious, economic and infrastructure development in recent years, calling it a model for the rest of Uttar Pradesh.