A few days ago, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav seemed so positive about the consecration of Ram Mandir when he smilingly said, “Bulaya jayega toh zaroor jayenge…“. Though his wife had different views. She previously said she would go even if not invited and later on blamed the Yogi government for asking people to light diyas on January 22. Dimple Yadav said that the government should send ghee to everyone’s place for lightening diyas.

Samajwadi leader doesn’t want commoner?

Now, Akhilesh Yadav has also switched to a different tune. He has refused the invite to attend the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. But he was looking forward to it! If this is your question too, Akhilesh Yadav has an answer for you. He has refused the invite to the grand event because he can’t accept an invite from “any Tom, Dick, and Harry”.

Actually, VHP (Vishva Hindu Parishad) leader Alok Kumar went to invite the SP leader to the ceremony to which Yadavji refused because he didn’t know Alok Kumar and he couldn’t accept an invitation from a stranger. He also had a kind of heated argument with the VHP leader.

Not-so-mulayam rule of Mulayam Singh Yadav

If you’re surprised, let’s take you back to the era of the 1990s when this Samajwadi Party ruled in Uttar Pradesh and Hindutva used to smell like a crime. Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister of the state in whose governance Karsevaks were criminals.

In the last decade of the 20th century, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s govt imprisoned hundreds of karsevaks who were going to Ayodhya. Not only were they treated brutally and kept with serial offenders in jail but they were also given a certificate of ‘Ram Bhakti challan’ when they got free.

वायरल पोस्ट..
नब्बे का दशक जब प्रदेश के सीएम कहते थे कि अयोध्या में परिन्दा भी पर नहीं मार सकता.उस समय सरकार की नजर में*रामभक्ति*अपराध था। जिला कारागार अलीगढ़ के प्रमाण पत्र में अपराध “रामभक्ति” स्पष्ट दर्ज है.. pic.twitter.com/rUGjuDevxg

— arunendra tiwari (@arunend60725538) January 3, 2024

Ram bhakti was a crime!

Arjun Dev Varshney, Anurag Varshney, and Manoj Agarwal narrate their painful two-decades-old story. They were kept in jail for 13 days for willing to go to Ayodhya. Mulayam Singh Yadav had given strict orders that nobody should reach the destination. He also ordered lathi-charge on those who were willing to go. Their crime of Rambhakti was put under section 107/16 as mentioned in their certificates. Varshney says that Rambhakts were seen as suspicious people in those days and if anyone used to put a saffron patka (headwear) or tilak, it was a matter of safety concern. Saying ‘Jai Siya Ram’ was parallel to hate speeches.

Agarwal says that things have changed completely. What was a criminal act in the Samajwadi Party’s govt is welcomed with open arms by the Yogi and Modi government.

Also read: January 22: All Schools, Colleges To Remain Closed In Uttar Pradesh

Today, the party that boasts of tuning to Samajwad, has again refused to accept the invite of Mandir consecration. What if Akhilesh Yadav wasn’t sent that invite? Until Tuesday, he said in a sulking tone that it’s okay if we’re not invited. Dalits and backward classes are our Gods. Today when he received it, he refused it for getting it from an ordinary person. Who should have brought the invitation card to him? Narendra Modi or Yogi Adityanath or lord Ram himself?

Well, the BJP is being blamed for using Ram Mandir as a political tactic, but what is Akhilesh Yadav doing if not brewing politics?