File Picture : ANI/X
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has , said the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple had hurt the faith of devotees, but the Opposition move to defame Ayodhya and Ram Janmabhoomi was not justified.
He took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, saying they are ‘two princes’ accustomed to privilege who travel abroad to the US for FIFA events and also to Australia, and return to ‘divide society’ on caste lines for political gains.
He also alleged that such prosperity was disliked by Ppposition parties, saying they wanted economic growth to remain confined to ‘only two families’.
‘Recall the period before 2017. During the Samajwadi Party government, Kanwar Yatra, Ram Navami processions, Janmashtami celebrations and Durga Puja pandals were not allowed. Those who imposed restrictions on such festivals are today talking about faith,’ the chief minister said, addressing the Panchayat Aaj Tak programme organised by the India Today group.
Without naming anyone, he alleged that those responsible for firing on kar sevaks in Ayodhya were now speaking about religious faith.
He also accused previous governments of allowing attempts to ‘vitiate the atmosphere’ by permitting namaz on the steps of Hanumangarhi.
‘If they were truly secular, they should have also allowed Hanuman Chalisa to be recited inside a mosque but it was a one-way approach,’ he said.
‘The Ayodhya incident has certainly hurt the faith of all of us, of Ram devotees like us,’ Yogi acknowledged.
‘The Ram temple trust is an independent body and the government has no authority to interfere in its affairs. The trust requested a probe and the state government constituted an SIT. As soon as the SIT report came, action was initiated,’ he said.
The chief minister said six people allegedly involved in the theft had been arrested, while two others accused of assisting them had also been taken into custody.
‘Along with the arrests, two resignations have also taken place on moral grounds (Trust general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra).
‘But using this incident to defame Ayodhya, the Ram Janmabhoomi and the faith of Hindus is not justified.’
