Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress of adopting double standards and questioned their silence on alleged irregularities involving Waqf land. Addressing a public gathering in Pratapgarh, he said the Opposition was using a single incident in Ayodhya to target the Hindu faith while ignoring larger issues related to Waqf properties.
Accusations of Double Standards
"Today, Ayodhya attracts everyone. The Opposition's pain is that so many people are coming to Ayodhya," Yogi Adityanath said. Taking a swipe at the SP and Congress, he remarked that "even a chameleon would be embarrassed" by their changing political positions. "These people are taking one incident and blowing it out of proportion to insult Hindus and attack their faith," he said.
"I want to ask the Samajwadi Party and Congress: over the theft in Ayodhya, which you are using to play with Hindu faith, have you ever spoken even once about the thousands of hectares of land sold in the name of Waqf?" he asked. "When it comes to Waqf, why do the Samajwadi Party and Congress suddenly fall silent? Why do they put a lock on their mouths over theft in the name of Waqf?" he added.
Waqf Land and Welfare of Poor
The chief minister said the Waqf land belonged to the poor and weaker sections of society and could have been allotted to them through lease or used for their welfare. "Was Hindu faith not hurt when illegal slaughterhouses were run, cows were killed and Ram bhakts were fired upon in Ayodhya? Were Hindu sentiments not hurt when the Kanwar Yatra was restricted?" he asked.
Defence of SIT Probe in Ram Temple Donation Theft
Defending the government's handling of the Ram Temple donation theft case, Yogi Adityanath said the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had itself sought an SIT probe. "I had said the truth would come out. An FIR was registered on the basis of the SIT probe and action was taken against those for whom evidence was found," he said.
The priest-turned-politician also accused the Opposition of reviving divisive issues ahead of elections. "These people see elections approaching and suddenly raise such issues. Today, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party are left with only two issues — creating divisions in the name of caste and attacking people's faith," he said.
Revisiting Opposition's Stance During Ram Janmabhoomi Movement
Escalating his criticism, Yogi Adityanath also revisited the Opposition's stance during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. "The Congress once claimed that Lord Ram and Lord Krishna never existed. In Ayodhya, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party supported the Babri structure and shed crocodile tears over it. Now, like chameleons changing colours, they are saying that faith is being tampered with," he said.
