Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav's upcoming Ayodhya visit has triggered political friction, with Congress defending it as personal faith while the BJP labels it a desperate attempt to gain votes ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly elections.

Congress Defends Religious Freedom

Reacting to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s proposed visit to Ayodhya, Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam on Sunday said visiting a place of worship was a matter of personal faith. Speaking to ANI, Gautam said the Constitution guarantees everyone the freedom to practise religion and worship, adding that no political leader should have any objection to another leader visiting a religious place.

“Religion is a matter of personal faith. Whether someone wants to visit a temple, mosque, gurudwara, church, Buddhist monastery, or Jain temple is entirely their personal choice,” he said. Gautam further said that the freedom of religion and worship was guaranteed under the Constitution and questioned why any political leader should have a problem with such a visit. “Our Constitution gives everyone the freedom of religion and worship,” he said. “So why should any political leader have a problem with that?” he added.

BJP Questions Political Timing

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said that political leaders who once opposed 'Sanatan culture' are now turning to Lord Ram out of electoral necessity. Speaking to reporters, Pathak criticised the SP leaders for avoiding the Ram Mandir until the approach of the 2027 Assembly elections.

"SP leaders never spoke about Ram Lalla’s temple in the past. It is the overwhelming force of our eternal culture that even those who oppose it in thought and action now realise that to win votes, they must seek refuge in Lord Ram," he said. "SP leaders never used to talk about the temple of Lord Ram Lalla. This is the glory of the eternal culture, and it is so vast that even those who oppose it in thought and deed think that if we want to win votes, we will have to seek refuge in Lord Ram," he said.

Samajwadi Party Strategy

This comes after SP leader Pawan Pandey said Akhilesh will visit Ayodhya with his family on December 12 to offer prayers at the Hanuman Garhi temple and seek blessings at the Ram Mandir. "On December 12th, the National President of the Samajwadi Party and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, will visit Ayodhya along with his family," Pandey said.

Pandey also expressed confidence about the party's prospects. "This government will be ousted, and the Samajwadi Party government will be formed, with Akhilesh Yadav becoming the Chief Minister," he said. It will be Akhilesh Yadav's first visit to the temple since its consecration in January 2024, and the announcement has drawn sharp reactions from the ruling side over its timing as Assembly Elections are slated to be conducted in 2027.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)