‘These are same people who had committed sin of offering namaz on steps of Hanuman Garhi’: CM Yogi in Ayodhya

Ayodhya, July 10 (IANS) Amid the ongoing controversy over the alleged Ram temple donation theft row, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday reignited the Hanuman Garhi controversy, accusing previous governments of allowing namaz to be offered at the sacred temple premises and questioning the Opposition over what he described as its selective approach towards matters of faith.

During his first visit to Ayodhya since the donation theft controversy surfaced, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 217 development projects worth over Rs 432 crore. However, it was his remarks on Hanuman Garhi that dominated his address.

Addressing the gathering, CM Yogi said, “I had the opportunity to visit Rudhauli on June 19. Development projects are moving forward rapidly today. What was once considered impossible has now become possible because of these public representatives. You all know that for a long time, Ayodhya remained neglected. There were no roads, no electricity, and no water, even though the Saryu River flowed right beside it.”

“Despite this, Ayodhya remained deprived of its benefits. Pilgrims visiting Ayodhya were unable to receive the blessings of the Saryu because there were no proper arrangements, and filth had become its identity. Those who talk about faith today even had namaz offered at our sacred Hanuman Garhi. Just think about it. Imagine this: could anyone ever recite the Hanuman Chalisa inside the Jama Masjid? Could any government, the Samajwadi Party, or the Congress make that happen? If not, then why was the sin of having namaz offered on the steps of Hanuman Garhi allowed? Who was responsible for this?” he said.

The Chief Minister said that Ayodhya had remained neglected for decades under previous governments despite being one of Hinduism’s holiest cities. He said his government had transformed the city into a major spiritual, cultural and tourism hub.

He added, “We have transformed Ayodhya into a clean and beautiful city and re-established it as a cultural capital of Sanatan Dharma. Along with this transformation, Ayodhya has been blessed with the grand aarti on the banks of the Saryu River and the development of Ram Ki Paidi.”

Highlighting the city’s infrastructure growth, CM Yogi said clear policies and determined governance had made ambitious projects possible.

He said, “When the intentions are clear, actions happen automatically. When policies are clear, the people who guide and support them naturally come forward. Today, this is visible in Ayodhya. With the blessings of Lord Shri Ram and the immense blessings of Hanuman, all the development works in Ayodhya appear to be progressing smoothly. Did anyone ever think that an international airport could be built in Ayodhya? The Samajwadi Party leaders opposed it and misled people in the name of the airport.”

“Today, the international airport in Ayodhya has been named after Maharishi Valmiki, connecting Ayodhya with the rest of the country and the world. Today, the Samajwadi Party and Congress are opposing Ayodhya’s development because they could not do these works themselves. They are unhappy that the airport was named after Maharishi Valmiki,” he said.

The Chief Minister also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for developing Ayodhya as a solar city.

He said, “Who was getting this done? Brothers and sisters, today, when you see Ayodhya, it is unique among worlds. Ayodhya has now become magnificent. Its streets are shining, there is proper lighting, and it has become one of the selected cities in the country to be developed as a solar city. This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. Prime Minister Modi said that Ayodhya is the capital of the Suryavansh, so the capital of the Suryavansh should be illuminated by the light of the Sun God itself. Today, Ayodhya has become a solar city.”

During the programme, CM Yogi also announced that Bhadarsa would be renamed Bharatpur-Bharatkund to honour Bharat, the younger brother of Lord Ram.

He further said that whenever any Indian citizen takes the name of Ayodhya, a glow of happiness appears on their face.

“When any citizen of Uttar Pradesh mentions Ayodhya, or when any Indian citizen takes the name of Ayodhya in any country of the world, a glow of happiness appears on the face of the person listening, because Ayodhya is connected with the sacred birthplace of Lord Ram and represents a wonderful combination of heritage and development…Ayodhya has achieved what could not happen in 500 years. For generations, saints, kings, princes, and people from every section of society struggled and carried out movements for the liberation of Ram Janmabhoomi. But those who once said about Ayodhya that ‘not even a bird could fly there’ are now witnessing that lakhs of people are visiting Ayodhya, and millions of devotees are arriving for darshan,” he said.

–IANS

jk/dpb