Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday hit back at the Samajwadi Party over its criticism of the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple, accusing the opposition of hypocrisy on matters of faith. Speaking at Panchayat Aaj Tak, Yogi said those who had once “opened fire on Ram devotees” had no moral authority to lecture others on protecting religious sentiments.
The Chief Minister’s remarks referred to the 1990 police firing on karsevaks during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, when the then Mulayam Singh Yadav-led government ordered action to stop thousands of volunteers from reaching the disputed Babri Masjid site. Official records state that at least 17 people lost their lives in the firing and the ensuing clashes.
Addressing the alleged embezzlement of temple offerings, Adityanath acknowledged that the incident had hurt devotees’ sentiments but asserted that the government responded without delay. He said the Ram Temple Trust operates independently and the state does not interfere in its functioning. However, once the allegations surfaced, the government ordered an SIT probe and initiated action against those accused.
Escalating his attack, Yogi accused the Samajwadi Party of selective outrage, saying those who presided over “lawlessness” and, in his view, undermined Hindu faith while in office were now trying to portray themselves as defenders of devotees. He added that while the opposition was focusing on the alleged theft, it remained silent on the corruption and irregularities that occurred during its own tenure.
Notably, Adityanath had launched a similar attack on the Samajwadi Party just a day earlier while addressing an event organised by Republic Bharat in Lucknow. Responding to opposition criticism over the alleged theft of Ram Temple donations, the chief minister accused the SP of “faking faith” and revived a nearly two-decade-old controversy over an alleged proposal to organise namaz at Ayodhya’s Hanumangarhi Temple.
Asserting that those who once facilitated namaz at Hanumangarhi were now questioning the BJP on matters of faith, Adityanath said, “Those who used to facilitate namaz at Hanumangarhi are now commenting on Ayodhya and matters of faith.” He also alleged that while the BJP had transformed Ayodhya into the cultural capital of Sanatan Dharma, its political opponents were merely pretending to defend Hindu interests.
The remarks referred to a 2003 controversy involving a proposal to hold namaz on the steps of the Hanumangarhi Temple. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal, who was serving as Uttar Pradesh’s Inspector General (Law and Order) at the time, stated that such a proposal had indeed existed before being altered following administrative intervention. He further alleged that the namaz and iftaar programme was eventually held at the residence of Hanumangarhi Mahant Gyan Das, located adjacent to the temple premises.
Defending the BJP government’s handling of the Ram Temple donation controversy, Adityanath had described the alleged theft as “unfortunate” but maintained that the government acted immediately by ordering a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. He said action was being taken based on the SIT’s findings and the recommendations of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, adding that some individuals had also resigned on moral grounds while the investigation remained underway.
