India

Yogi Adityanath Calls for Apology Before Akhilesh Yadav Visits Ayodhya

By Pawan Dixit

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath demanded that those who fired on karsevaks in 1990 apologise to ‘Ram Bhakts’ before Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav visits the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The call came on Saturday, ahead of Yadav’s planned visit with his family on December 12, the first since the temple’s consecration in January 2024. Adityanath referred to the firing on October 30 and November 2, 1990, during the government of Mulayam Singh Yadav, and said the SP had justified the action as a law‑and‑order measure. Speaking at the 10th edition of Deepotsav in Ram Katha Park, the chief minister said, “Those who got bullets fired on karsevaks, who shed the blood of Ram Bhakts on the streets of Ayodhya, are coming here to seek blessings. First, they should apologise to the karsevaks, to the seers, and to the people of Ayodhya.” He added that Ayodhya belongs to no single party or family and that those who insulted the sentiments of millions of Ram Bhakts cannot erase their sins merely by visiting the temple. Adityanath also praised the transformation of Ayodhya into a global spiritual destination under the state government, citing the construction of the Ram temple, infrastructure development and the lighting of 30 lakh diyas during Deepotsav. The event was attended by Vice‑President CP Radhakrishnan and Governor Anandiben Patel. Earlier in the day, SP leader Tej Narayan Pandey said the party’s national president and his family would visit the Hanuman Garhi temple and the Ram temple on December 12, urging the BJP not to politicise faith. The remarks were welcomed by seers present at the ceremony, who chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’.