Samajwadi Party (SP) National President Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday launched a sharp political attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Uttar Pradesh government over several issues, including alleged irregularities in Ram Temple donations, corruption, the state of health services, law and order, delay in Panchayat elections, and the functioning of democratic institutions.
Akhilesh Yadav, who was in Katghar village in the Sidhari area of Azamgarh to attend a wedding ceremony at the residence of former minister Chandradev Ram Yadav, said that the people of the state would decide on a change in government in 2027.
Taking a dig at the Chief Minister’s visits to Ayodhya, the SP chief said that despite holding the record for the highest number of visits to the city, the Chief Minister’s information system was so weak that he could not even get information about the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple.
He said that if such a situation existed at a place as significant as the Ram Temple, one could imagine the condition of police stations, tehsils and government hospitals across the state.
Alleging that corruption had reached its peak in Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said patients were not receiving medicines in government hospitals and ordinary citizens were forced to make repeated visits to police stations and tehsils in search of justice. He alleged that the government had failed to provide basic facilities and that people were demanding answers.
Referring to allegations regarding the disappearance of gold, silver, diamonds, jewellery and other valuables donated by devotees to the Ram Temple, Akhilesh Yadav said the issue was not merely about individual responsibility but raised questions about the entire system. He said the government was compelled to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT), but it was still unclear to whom the investigation report was submitted and why action had not been taken against senior officials allegedly responsible.
He said the incident had hurt the sentiments of millions of people in India and across the world who have faith in Sanatan Dharma and Indian culture. He added that Lord Shri Ram would never forgive those who allegedly harmed the faith of devotees.
Attacking the BJP on electoral issues, the SP president said the government speaks about “One Nation, One Election” but has failed to conduct Panchayat elections on time. He questioned why local body and Panchayat elections were being repeatedly delayed when the government claimed to support simultaneous elections.
Commenting on by-elections and the democratic system, he said that while the BJP may be claiming victory in the by-elections in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, questions were being raised over the impartiality of democratic institutions. He said he was not threatening anyone but cautioning against attempts to weaken democracy. If the situation continued, he warned, people’s voting rights could be affected in the future.
Akhilesh Yadav expressed confidence that the people of Uttar Pradesh would remove the BJP from power in the 2027 Assembly elections. He said that if the Samajwadi Party formed the government, development would receive a new impetus in Azamgarh and across the state.
Meanwhile, in a social media post on Saturday, Akhilesh Yadav wrote: “We resolve with righteousness and integrity that after forming a new government, we will develop Ayodhya into a unique and exemplary religious city, where devotees from across the world will experience a true sense of spirituality.”
He further said, “With the blessings of the Lord, we will restore and preserve the eternal values of Ayodhya as a ‘Siyaram Dham’ of faith, devotion, unwavering belief and true spirit.” This, he added, would also restore the traditional pride and rights of the people of Ayodhya.