'If Akhilesh comes to power, he will have namaz offered in Ram Mandir': UP minister

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, claiming that if the SP returns to power in the state, the former chief minister would have namaz offered inside the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Rajbhar's remarks came in response to Akhilesh's recent promise to transform Ayodhya into a "global capital for Sanatan pilgrimage" if his party comes to power in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI, the minister questioned the SP chief's record during his five-year tenure as chief minister between 2012 and 2017 and accused him of pursuing appeasement politics. "He was in power for five years himself; what did he do in Ayodhya? The only 'achievement' he managed was to have namaz offered at Hanuman Garhi. If he comes back to power, he will have namaz offered inside the temple as well," Rajbhar said.

The remarks come amid a war of words between the BJP and the SP ahead of Akhilesh's proposed family visit to Ayodhya on December 12. BJP leader Pankaj Chaudhary also took a swipe at the SP chief over the planned visit, accusing him of practising appeasement politics and questioning his religious intentions. "Those who put on a show of devotion to Ram are now weighing themselves on the scales of appeasement. They're so nervous before going to the temple that they're weighing political gains and losses more than faith," Chaudhary posted on X. "Before bowing your head at the temple's threshold, take a look in the mirror at your own politics. It was always easy to head to Ayodhya; first, repent for your politics of appeasement," he added.

Yadav, meanwhile, responded to his critics in a cryptic post on X on November 10, describing them as "nomadic merchants of politics" who appear during election season. "Why do they come flying only at the time of 'election'? Whatever 'Aqa' (master) says, he says it and goes away. Those fake well-wishers who bring fire instead of water, where do you disappear when your loved ones are oppressed?" the SP chief wrote.

Earlier, Yadav had outlined his plans for Ayodhya if the SP returns to power, promising transparent management of the Ram Mandir, world-class infrastructure, revival of the local economy and an investigation into alleged irregularities in land dealings in the temple town. He also claimed that the number of devotees visiting Ayodhya had been declining, alleging that controversies surrounding the Ram Mandir had hurt the city's economy.