Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya would have been built in one year had there been a Samajwadi Party government in the state.
As the construction of the temple started under the supervision of the Yogi Adityanath led government, the Samajwadi Party chief stated that the BJP was only interested in taking votes in the name of the Ram temple rather than constructing it.
अगर समाजवादी पार्टी की सरकार होती तो हम 1 साल में राम मंदिर बना देते। वो (भाजपा) राम मंदिर नहीं बनाना चाहते, वो वोट लेना चाहते हैंः अखिलेश यादव pic.twitter.com/KSsE6944Uv
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) December 31, 2021
Akhilesh Yadav has even said that Lord Ram belonged to his party and he would soon visit Ayodhya. As Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and the BJP have set the tone for the upcoming assembly election – Taliban (Muslim fundamentalism) and Abbajan (Muslim appeasement) of Samajwadi Party vs nationalism, development, and Ram temple of the BJP – Akhilesh Yadav has become defensive.
Given previous instances and the political legacy Akhilesh Yadav inherited, his statements on Lord Ram and the Ram temple is a complete U-turn.
Chanda jeevi vs Babar-Jeevi
In November 2019, the Supreme Court had delivered the judgment in the Ayodhya case and handed over the Ram Janmabhoomi site to Hindus to build the temple of Lord Ram. Saints and devotees across the country had aunched ‘Shri Ram Mandir Nidhi Samarpan’ campaign to raise funds for the grand temple.
A simmering wave of resentment swept the devotees of Lord Ram after Akhilesh Yadav derided the donation collectors, calling them “Chanda jeevi” or professional donation collectors. People responded to him with disdain and called him “Babar-Jeevi“.
The BJP continues to remind him of his Chanda Jeevi remark. Union Home Minister Amit Shah who addressed a rally in Lucknow on October 29 mocked the Samajwadi Party leader even did not donate to the temple construction. “You (Akhilesh) missed out giving even Rs 5,000,” Shah had taunted.
Akhilesh Yadav had banned 84 kosi parikrama in Ayodhya in 2013
Akhilesh Yadav was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh when he had banned the 84 koshi parikrama in Ayodhya under pressure from his minister Azam Khan to please fundamentalist Muslims.
Mulayam Singh Yadav nicknamed ‘Mullah Mulayam’
Akhilesh Yadav inherited hate for Hindus and the Ram Janmabhumi from his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. He was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh when had ordered firing upon the Karsevaks who had gathered at Ayodhya in November 1990 to demand the construction of a Ram temple. Mulayam Singh Yadav earned the nickname of ‘Mullah Mulayam’ for his atrocities on Hindus.
The official figure claimed only 16 Ram bhakta died but the actual figure was in hundreds. Mulayam Singh Yadav never repented for Ayodhya massacre. He said that he gave order to open fire at Ram bhakta to save Muslim minorities. He said that decision was needed to keep the faith of Muslims in this country intact.
Years after the brutal assignation of Hindus at Ayodhya, the Samajwadi Party kept offending injured sentiments by coining slogans to mock Lord Ram. In 1993 Mulayam Singh Yadav joined hands with Kanshiram of Bahujan Samaj Party to fight assembly election together. They had coined a slogan “Mile Mulayam Kanshi Ram, Hawa Ho Gaye Jai Shri Ram.”
