Reiterating state government’s commitment of not allowing Chaurasi Kausi Yatra in Ayodhya from August 25, the Samajwadi Party said the proposed Yatra was more of political than religious in nature.
"This yatra is aimed at to revive the fortune of Bharatiya Janata Party which has lost favours with people in Uttar Pradesh. The Yatra is the design of RSS which is using Saints to drum up religious fervour before the lok Sabha election," the Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhry said in a statement here on Thursday.
Chaudhry, who is also Food and Civil Supply Minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government said that it was a known fact that no Yatra takes place around Ayodhya in the month of August and September.
"With VHP planning to take Yatra in August 25 the indications are clear that proposed step has a political overtone. The RSS and VHP is aiming at polarization of
votes during lok Sabha election," he said.
The Chaurasi Kausi Yatra that starts on August 25 will pass through six districts and end on September 13.
Chaudhry said: "In 1992 the VHP and RSS talked in similar tone and this resulted in demolition of the Babri Mosque. Then also Congress was in power at the Centre
and this time too the same party is in Centre. If state government does not take effective step the country could be pushed to another communal pogrom."
The Samajwadi Party leader said that Chief Minister is adamant to bring the state back to the path of development. "Therefore, the SP Government has decided to ban VHP Yatra," Chaudhri said.