SP leader triggers row over Ram Temple consecration

Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Swami Prasad Maurya has once again stirred up a controversy by raising questions on the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Maurya’s statement in the Uttar Pradesh legislative council on Wednesday drew sharp criticism by Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, while SP leaders also came out openly against their party colleague.

Speaking on the governor’s address, Maurya raised questions on Ram Lalla’s “Pran Pratishtha” (consecration) ceremony and said when Lord Ram has been worshipped in Ayodhya for thousands of years, what was the need to spend crores of rupees on the consecration ceremony on January 22.

Talking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhawan complex on Thursday, Keshav Prasad Maurya held SP president Akhilesh Yadav responsible for his party leader’s statements.

“The Samajwadi Party is going to become the Samaptwadi party in 2024. It will be due to Akhilesh Yadav. Because if anyone says anything in this party, he cannot do so without the orders of the SP chief. Hence, I hold Akhilesh Yadav responsible for any such statement. “If he (Yadav) does not agree with anyone’s statement, he should take action against him (Maurya). And if he does not take action, then only SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is responsible for whatever poisonous statements are coming,” the deputy chief minister said.

Pathak said, “The whole world is celebrating the inauguration of the grand temple of Lord Ram. God will never forgive him (Maurya) for making such statements on such an occasion. The people of the country and the state will definitely teach them a lesson when the time comes.” Maurya’s statement was also condemned by his party colleagues. SP’s chief whip in the Assembly Manoj Kumar Pandey condemned Maurya in very harsh words.

Talking to reporters, he said, “I do not want to give any statement on what he (Maurya) has said. A person who does not have mental balance keeps making such statements. The party has repeatedly asked him not to do so, but when a deranged man does not want to listen to instructions, no one can do anything.” Asked about Maurya’s statement, SP general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav said, “There should be no propaganda on religion, it should be practised,” but did not elaborate. On the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) charge that Maurya is giving such statements at the behest of Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal Yadav accused the saffron party of always lying.

Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra said no one has the right to hurt anyone’s religious beliefs. “Maurya’s statement may be his personal opinion,” she added.

With inputs from News18