Akhilesh questions Adityanath’s Ayodhya visit amid Ram temple probe

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday questioned chief minister Yogi Adityanath's visit to Ayodhya while a special investigation team (SIT) probe into alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donation funds is underway, claiming the chief minister appeared unusually subdued and lacked confidence during his address.

Yadav also cautioned against any attempt to influence the investigation into the allegations.

In a sharply worded post on X, issued hours after Adityanath addressed a public gathering in Ayodhya, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister questioned the timing of the event and suggested it may have been linked to the ongoing probe.

"Why did today's speech contain more threats than statements? Was today's programme planned suddenly, or was it decided on the very day the SIT was constituted? Why are sources saying that local BJP MLAs and office-bearers insisted on organising this programme at short notice to save the BJP's political ground? Otherwise, not just the Ayodhya division but the BJP's rout across the whole of Uttar Pradesh is considered certain," Yadav wrote.

He further alleged that political visits should not be used to exert pressure on investigators. "No attempt should be made to influence the work of the SIT through physical visits and inspections. The SIT is already under a cloud of suspicion because of its controversial members and tainted image. Why did the face appear downcast today? Why was there a deliberate effort to raise the pitch of the voice, yet no sign of self-confidence? Why did he not meet his close associates this time?" Yadav said.

The SP chief also argued that the investigation should go beyond establishing the facts and account for all donations made to the temple. "It is not enough to separate milk from water. There must be a full accounting of the gold and silver as well," he said. "Apart from the donated money and priceless stones, an account will also have to be given of the valuable metals and jewellery that were offered."

Earlier in the day, Yadav had called for the formation of another SIT to examine what he described as someone's "record-breaking" visits to Ayodhya, in an apparent swipe at Adityanath.

The remarks came after the chief minister defended his government's decision to order an investigation into allegations of misappropriation of donation funds at the Ram temple. Addressing a gathering in Ayodhya, Adityanath said if devotees could wait 500 years for the construction of the Ram temple, they could wait another 15 days for the SIT to complete its work and establish the facts.

He also alleged that attempts were being made to defame Ayodhya, the temple and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, and urged people not to fall prey to such "conspiracies".

"At the trust's request, we have ordered an SIT investigation and I can assure you that this probe will bring the absolute truth to light. There is no doubt about that," Adityanath said.

On 13 June, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member SIT after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra sought an inquiry into allegations of irregularities involving donation funds at the temple. The probe was ordered days after Yadav, on 7 June, cited reports alleging multi-crore financial misconduct involving temple donations and urged the courts to take cognisance of the matter.

With PTI inputs