Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday, 17 July 2026, launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of spreading what he called false propaganda about Hanumangadhi — one of Ayodhya's most revered temples — to distract public attention from alleged financial irregularities at the Ram Mandir.

Context

In a strongly worded post in Hindi, Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP's politics of 'chori-loot-chhal-kapat-jhooth-fareb' (theft, plunder, deceit, fraud, lies, and treachery) had now extended from the Ram Mandir to Hanumangadhi. He demanded that those spreading what he termed 'false propaganda' about Hanumangadhi either publicly admit they are doing so to divert attention from 'theft at the Ram Mandir', or climb the temple's steps on their knees and seek forgiveness from this ancient shrine.

Yadav directed his sharpest language at individuals he described as 'mahamukh' — a derogatory term roughly translating to 'the big-mouthed' — who he said were insulting their own religious office by lying while dressed in the garb of faith. 'If they must lie, let them do so in ordinary clothes,' he wrote, adding that deceiving simple, devout people by wearing the symbols of faith for personal gain was a grave moral transgression.

Policy Backdrop

The Ram Mandir at Ayodhya was inaugurated on 22 January 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following the Supreme Court's landmark verdict of 9 November 2019 that cleared the way for construction at the disputed site. The BJP had positioned the temple's construction as the fulfilment of a decades-long cultural and political commitment rooted in the Ayodhya movement of the 1980s and 1990s.

Hanumangadhi, a historic Hanuman temple in the heart of Ayodhya, has separately featured in political exchanges over its management and development. The Samajwadi Party has consistently accused the BJP of using religious sites as political instruments while deflecting scrutiny of governance and financial accountability. The 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections saw similar arguments made by the SP against the ruling party's handling of religious heritage.

Stakeholders and Impact

The statement is directed at Hindu devotees across Uttar Pradesh and the country, whom Yadav portrays as being misled by those in positions of religious authority. He invoked the spiritual power of Hanumangadhi itself, warning that those he termed 'mahapapi' (great sinners) would face divine consequences — a framing designed to appeal to faith-based sentiment among the electorate.

Yadav also broadened the attack beyond Ayodhya, asserting that 'wherever the BJP and its unregistered associates have taken control, there is rampant dishonesty, theft, embezzlement, and plunder.' He described current revelations as merely 'the first layer' being peeled back, signalling that the opposition intends to sustain pressure on financial accountability issues linked to religious institutions and public trusts.

What's Next

The Uttar Pradesh government and relevant temple trusts are likely to face demands for official clarification on the management and finances of both the Ram Mandir and Hanumangadhi. Yadav's remarks suggest the Samajwadi Party will continue to frame Ayodhya-related governance as a campaign issue ahead of future state and national elections. The BJP is expected to respond, making the religious-site accountability debate a sustained flashpoint in Uttar Pradesh politics.