Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday, 8 November launched a sharp attack on Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, accusing both leaders of practising vote-bank politics and applying selective standards when expressing concern over incidents involving different religious communities.

Singh's Allegations Against Sonia Gandhi

Speaking to reporters, Singh alleged that Sonia Gandhi had publicly grieved over the Babri Masjid issue and the Batla House encounter but had remained silent when, he claimed, devotees of Lord Ram were shot dead. He alleged a pattern of selective empathy tied to electoral considerations.

'Yes, Sonia Gandhi shed tears over the Babri Masjid issue and the Batla House encounter. But when Ram devotees were shot dead, Sonia Gandhi did not shed any tears. Sonia Gandhi sheds tears and even travels to Azamgarh. Her son, meanwhile, visits JNU and addresses terrorists respectfully as 'ji'. Slogans such as 'Afzal, your killers are alive, and we are ashamed' are also raised there. Sonia ji, you can do anything for the sake of votes,' Singh alleged.

The remarks are unverified allegations by the minister; Congress has not issued an immediate public response to this specific statement.

Challenge to Akhilesh Yadav Over Ram Temple

Singh also turned his fire on Akhilesh Yadav, challenging the SP chief to visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. He made sharp remarks suggesting that Yadav's political lineage was, in his words, 'stained with the blood of Ram devotees.'

'Akhilesh Yadav should visit the Ram Temple; he will attain wisdom. But even if he comes crawling on his stomach from his village, Lord Ram will never forgive him because his DNA is stained with the blood of Ram devotees. Bullets were fired at Ram devotees,' Singh said.

Singh further invited Yadav to Mathura, saying the SP chief was welcome to announce a date for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a proposed Krishna temple there. 'If Akhilesh Yadav wants to visit Mathura, let him come. Set a date for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Lord Krishna's temple in Mathura, and we will accompany him,' the minister said.

Ghaziabad Explosion: The Trigger

Singh's remarks came in the backdrop of an explosion at the Vasundhara police outpost in Ghaziabad on the night of 6 November. The blast shattered windows and damaged air conditioning units at the outpost, according to officials. No police personnel were present inside at the time.

A 20-year-old food delivery worker sustained injuries in the explosion and was subsequently admitted to a private hospital in Delhi's Surya Nagar. Singh alleged that neither Akhilesh Yadav nor any Muslim leader at the national or state level had condemned the incident, a claim that remains unverified. He also criticised AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for allegedly not speaking out against the attack.

Broader Political Context

Singh also accused Yadav of visiting mosques wearing a skullcap and attempting to appease senior SP leader Azam Khan, framing these as evidence of minoritarian politics. This comes amid a period of heightened political rhetoric ahead of assembly-level positioning in Uttar Pradesh, where caste and communal narratives have historically shaped electoral outcomes.

Notably, the Batla House encounter of 2008 and the Babri Masjid issue remain deeply contested political reference points; Singh's invocation of both signals an effort to sharpen the BJP's Hindu voter consolidation narrative. How the opposition responds — particularly ahead of any upcoming electoral contest — is likely to define the next chapter of this exchange.