Targeting opposition parties for their stance on the Ram temple embezzlement issue, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said those who attacked Ram devotees and questioned the existence of the god were now speaking up in the name of faith.
Accusing the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of being hypocrites for their "newfound" support for Lord Ram, the chief minister said those who once opposed the Ram temple movement were now claiming to champion the cause.
"Who is advocating devotion to Lord Ram today? The very people who before 2017 ordered lathi-charges on those raising the slogan 'Jai Shri Ram'. When Ram devotees proclaimed 'Ram Lalla Hum Aayenge, Mandir Wahin Banayenge', they were met with bullets. Today, the same people are speaking in the name of faith," he said.
The attack, during his address after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of 102 development projects worth over Rs 690 crore in Rampur, came in the wake of opposition parties slamming the BJP over the embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and alleging that it had betrayed Lord Ram.
According to Adityanath, it was the strength of people's faith and electoral support that had forced opposition parties to change their stand on the Ram temple.
"They must now be regretting their past actions. The Samajwadi Party was on the wrong path. The Congress had even questioned the very existence of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna before 2017, but today it says Lord Ram belongs to everyone. Now they are all eager to visit Ayodhya," he said.
A Congress delegation was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Tuesday. However, its state party chief Ajay Rai alleged that he was placed under house arrest in the town.
There was no immediate confirmation from Ayodhya Police on whether Rai had been formally arrested.
In his speech at Rampur, Adityanath also invoked the Hindu epic Ramayana, saying devotion to Lord Ram gave Lord Hanuman the strength to overcome all obstacles.
"There is no need to worry. Their (opposition) frustration stems from seeing Ayodhya transformed into a beautiful city...Having failed to stop these developments, they are now resorting to falsehoods because the people have already taught them a lesson," he said.
Highlighting changes in Rampur (once considered stronghold of beleaguered SP veteran Azam Khan) since 2017, the chief minister said the district had undergone a transformation after the BJP came to power.
"Compare the Rampur before 2017 with the Rampur of today. There was a time when the poor were dispossessed of their land and members of the Valmiki community were denied their rights.
"When a government becomes arbitrary, it turns into a symbol of injustice. The people of Rampur sent a message by overthrowing that regime, and today the district is moving on the path of development with new projects and a renewed focus on its heritage," he said.
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