Congress MP Kishori Lal Sharma barred from Ram Temple darshan, flown out of Ayodhya
Synopsis
A sitting Congress MP claims UP Police physically escorted him out of Ayodhya after blocking his Ram Temple darshan — on the same day the state’s Congress chief was reportedly put under house arrest. With the BJP citing a donations-embezzlement probe and Congress invoking faith, the Ram Mandir has become the sharpest new battleground in UP politics.
Key Takeaways
Congress MP Kishori Lal Sharma claimed he was denied darshan at the Ram Temple, Ayodhya on 30 June and “forcibly” taken to the airport by UP Police .
UP Congress President Ajay Rai was reportedly placed under house arrest in Ayodhya ahead of his own planned temple visit.
Congress’s UP in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam accused CM Yogi Adityanath of acting out of political fear.
BJP accused Congress of politicising the issue amid an ongoing probe into alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement .
Congress workers staged protests outside Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology in Ayodhya.
Congress leaders vowed to return until they are permitted to offer prayers at the temple.
Congress MP Kishori Lal Sharma on Tuesday, 30 June claimed he was denied entry for darshan at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and that the Uttar Pradesh Police and local administration “forcibly” escorted him to the airport. The incident unfolded on the same day that Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai was reportedly placed under house arrest in Ayodhya ahead of his own proposed visit to the Ram Mandir.
What Kishori Lal Sharma Said
Speaking to reporters, Sharma recounted the sequence of events in pointed terms. “They did not allow me to have darshan. Instead, the police and the local administration forcibly took me to the airport. But they will not be able to deprive me of darshan. They may stop me today, I will come tomorrow. If they stop me tomorrow, I will come the day after,” he said.
Sharma added that he had offered to surrender his identity card and enter as an ordinary citizen, but that the administration refused even that. “They created a drama over here,” he remarked.
Congress Leaders Blocked, Protests Erupt
Earlier in the day, the Indian National Congress (INC) alleged that Ajay Rai and a delegation of party leaders were prevented from visiting the temple. Congress’s Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam directly targeted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying: “Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is scared, his self-confidence has broken and he is scared to lose power.”
Gautam also drew a pointed contrast with a recent temple visit by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal. “When AAP’s Kejriwal, which is (BJP’s) B team, came here, he was taken to the temple with full police protection and now when the Congress leaders decided to go, they were placed under house arrest,” he said. “This shows BJP’s fear. Does our faith not hold any value?”
Congress workers staged a protest outside Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology in solidarity. Former Ayodhya Congress district President Akhilesh Yadav said the protesters would remain until party leaders were permitted to offer prayers. “It is a temple and not the BJP’s party office,” he remarked.
BJP’s Counter-Charge
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders rejected the Congress narrative, accusing the party of attempting to politicise the issue amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations. The BJP did not detail the specific grounds on which the Congress leaders were denied entry or placed under house arrest.
Broader Context
The standoff is the latest flashpoint in a sustained political contest over the Ram Mandir — a site that carries enormous symbolic weight following its consecration earlier this year. Opposition parties have repeatedly sought to visit the temple, and each episode of access or denial has quickly escalated into a national political controversy. Notably, the timing — amid an active donations-embezzlement probe flagged by the BJP — adds a further layer of friction to what is already a charged confrontation.
With Congress vowing to return and the administration yet to offer a formal explanation for the restrictions, the standoff at Ayodhya is unlikely to subside quickly.
Point of View
And each episode hands both sides a ready-made narrative. What is missing from the BJP’s response is any formal, on-record explanation for why elected representatives — who are also constituents of the temple’s broader public mandate — were turned away. The donations-embezzlement probe the BJP cited is real, but its relevance to a sitting MP’s darshan request is unexplained. Congress, for its part, is clearly calibrating these visits for political optics, but that does not automatically delegitimise the access question. The real accountability gap is the administration’s silence on the legal basis for the restrictions.
NationPress
30 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Congress MP Kishori Lal Sharma in Ayodhya?
Kishori Lal Sharma, a Congress MP, claimed on 30 June that UP Police and the local administration denied him darshan at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and then “forcibly” escorted him to the airport. He said he had even offered to enter as an ordinary citizen without his identity card, but the administration refused.
Was UP Congress President Ajay Rai also blocked from the Ram Temple?
Yes, Ajay Rai was reportedly placed under house arrest in Ayodhya on the same day, ahead of his planned visit to the Ram Mandir. Congress alleged that a broader delegation of party leaders was also prevented from visiting the temple.
What reason did the BJP give for blocking Congress leaders?
BJP leaders accused Congress of attempting to politicise the Ram Temple amid an ongoing investigation into alleged embezzlement of temple donations. The party did not offer a formal legal or administrative basis for the restrictions on access.
How did Congress respond to being denied entry?
Congress leaders vowed to keep returning until they are allowed darshan. UP in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam accused CM Yogi Adityanath of acting out of political fear, while party workers staged protests outside Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology in Ayodhya.
Why is the Ram Temple a political flashpoint for opposition parties?
The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya carries enormous symbolic weight following its consecration in early 2024. Opposition parties have repeatedly sought to visit the temple, and each episode of access or denial has quickly escalated into a national political controversy, making it a contested site beyond its religious significance.
