Ahead of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad-sponsored Dharma Sabha to push for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya on Sunday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that if required Army personnel be deployed in the town.
Thousands of people started gathering at Ayodhya ahead of the VHP programme. Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray also reached there for a separate programme on Saturday morning.
Speaking to media persons, the SP chief said: "The Supreme Court should take notice of the situation in Uttar Pradesh. It should seriously consider the matter and call the Army, if required, as the BJP and its allies can go to any extent."
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya dismissed Yadav's claims, saying that his remarks simply exposed his frustration as it was a Dharma Sabha and the Army was not needed for it. When reminded that a large section of Muslims was feeling apprehensive about the event, Maurya tried to allay the fears.
"This is a Dharma Sabha and no one needs to fear (anything) as there is peace in the state. The government has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure that no untoward incident takes place," he said.
Referring to the firing on unarmed kar sewaks in 1990, the Deputy CM said: "If Akhilesh Yadav is thinking that a 1990-like situation will prevail, he should rest assured that would not happen under the Yogi government. We will provide security to all and take necessary action."
Lashing out at the SP chief, the ruling BJP on Saturday said that the latest statement by Yadav was indicative of his distorted mentality. State BJP spokesperson Chandra Mohan said that advocating the deployment of Army by the SP chief, who is suspected of causing disturbance in Ramnagari, suggested that he considered Ram devotees as enemies and criminals, which backfired on Akhilesh during the 2017 Assembly elections.
"The public will not tolerate insults of Ram devotees. Earlier, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who preserves the ideology of criminals, had ordered firing on 'Ram bhakts'. The point to note is that Akhilesh never aired anti-Pakistan statements, but always raised his finger on strong actions taken by Indian Army against Pakistan. For him, Pakistan is a friend and Ram devotees are enemies," the BJP leader said.
Meanwhile, breaking ranks with the BJP, its ally Suheldeo Bharatiya Samaj Party chief and UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar demanded on Saturday that Army be deployed at Ayodhya to control the situation there.
Expressing concern over the congregation of Shiv Sainiks, VHP cadres and RSS workers at Ayodhya for Dharma Sabha on Sunday and the arrival of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Rajbhar said that he endorsed the views of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav who demanded that the Supreme Court should issue order for Army deployment at Ayodhya.
The SBSP chief also inquired how hundreds and thousands of people were entering Ayodhya even as Section 144 of CrPC was clamped in the temple town.
"The police and the district administration seem to have failed in upholding law and I feel time has come for the Army deployment," said Rajbhar.