Spiritual leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Monday urged Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to visit Mathura's Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi before his proposed trip to Ayodhya, saying the SP leader should offer prayers there and publicly acknowledge the site as a sacred Hindu temple. The remarks were made in Sambhal and add a fresh dimension to the ongoing political debate around Hindu pilgrimage sites ahead of key electoral cycles in Uttar Pradesh.

Krishnam on Akhilesh's Ayodhya Plans

Welcoming Akhilesh Yadav's reported desire to visit Ayodhya, Krishnam said the SP chief had come to understand that 'there can be no welfare without Lord Ram.' However, he set a condition. 'Akhilesh Yadav should also visit Mathura and support the commencement of construction work on the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple. Before visiting Ayodhya, he should go to Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, offer prayers and acknowledge that this is Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and that there is a temple here,' Krishnam said.

Notably, the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute in Mathura remains an active legal matter, with multiple petitions pending in Indian courts. Any political endorsement of construction at the site carries significant legal and communal implications, making Krishnam's demand politically loaded.

Sharp Attack on Congress Chief Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also drew Krishnam's criticism following a remark Kharge made while extending Diwali greetings. Kharge had described the festival as 'khushiyon ka ek Eid' — an Eid of happiness — calling it 'a grand festival that continues for many days.' Krishnam took strong exception to the phrasing. 'I feel sorry for Mallikarjun Kharge after seeing his condition. He has become a pity,' Krishnam said, adding that Kharge was 'himself troubled and wants to step down as Congress president' but was being prevented from doing so by Rahul Gandhi, who, Krishnam alleged, 'likes people who serve him rather than leaders.'

This comes amid persistent speculation within the Congress about Kharge's future at the helm, though the party has officially made no such announcement.

Invoking Sanatan Dharma to Defend Modi

Responding to Opposition rhetoric targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Krishnam invoked Sanatan Dharma to frame Modi as a figure beyond political erasure. 'Just as Sanatan Dharma is eternal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also eternal. Why is he eternal? Because he has dedicated his life to the nation and religion,' he said.

Krishnam directly addressed Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, saying: 'Modi's name is not written on sand that it can simply be erased.' The remarks are consistent with Krishnam's pattern of positioning religious identity as central to electoral politics in Uttar Pradesh and nationally.

The Broader Political Context

Krishnam's comments arrive at a time when temple politics — centred on Ayodhya, Mathura, and Kashi — continues to serve as a defining fault line in Indian electoral discourse. The SP, which governs no state currently but remains the principal Opposition force in Uttar Pradesh, has in recent months shown gestures of outreach toward Hindu sentiment, a shift critics argue is tactical rather than ideological. How Akhilesh Yadav responds to Krishnam's Mathura challenge is likely to be watched closely by both allies and opponents.