RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks on temple-mosque disputes sparked a sharp reaction from Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
He criticised the timing of the statement from the RSS chief, citing the violence in Sambhal that claimed five lives, and called for harmony and accountability.
Yadav said that days after several people faced humiliation, the RSS is now suggesting that every temple should not be excavated.
Five people were killed during the violent incident. The unrest erupted when a mob protesting a court-ordered survey of a Shahi Jama Masjid confronted the police.
The survey was initiated following a complaint alleging that a temple had been razed by the Mughals to build the mosque. In the violence, a case has been filed against Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq for allegedly inciting the mob.
The RSS chief on Thursday called for India to be a model of inclusivity and harmony, urging leaders to avoid stoking tensions over temple-mosque disputes.
Slamming Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks, the Samajwadi Party chief said, “When five people lost their lives in Sambhal and many others were humiliated, they are now saying every temple should not be excavated. The BJP should at least withdraw the false cases filed in Sambhal. Lives cannot be returned, but false cases can be taken back,” Yadav said in a post on X.
“We have been living in harmony for a long time. If we want to provide this harmony to the world, we need to create a model of it. After the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, some people think they can become leaders of Hindus by raking up similar issues in new places. This is not acceptable,” RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said.
Yadav also criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha, claiming that the ruling party is trying to weaken the constitution and democracy.
“Parliament session might be concluding today, but issues don’t conclude. The insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar and the attitude of the BJP towards him—the opposition demands that he should admit his mistake and apologise. If we have to take the country forward, Babasaheb’s Constitution shows the way. BJP attempts to weaken the Constitution and democracy from time to time,” Yadav said.
He also slammed the FIR filed against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and termed it a “false case”.
“We will have to understand the tactics of the BJP. They first do unconstitutional things and commit injustice. When you stand with those who have faced injustice, they slap false cases. This is not happening for the first time. This is BJP’s strategy,” Yadav said.
“Only the BJP MPs are responsible for the standoff we saw yesterday at Makar Dwar. We had never seen such a standoff,” he added.
Demanding an apology from BJP MPs, Yadav said, “We want the BJP MPs to apologise because they have insulted Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, who is an idol for every citizen of the country. BJP goes ahead with just one side. It never goes ahead with India’s Constitution, democracy, and its people. I think the BJP should apologise for yesterday’s face-off because only the BJP government and BJP MPs were responsible for it,” the SP chief said.