Ram Mandir Hoarding Outside Samajwadi Party's Lucknow Office Exposes Fault Lines

This comes when SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has maintained an ambiguous stance over attending the Ram mandir event.

The Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, has so far maintained an unclear stance on whether he will attend the Ram temple consecration on 22 January this year. However, a hoarding with the photo of Ram Mandir and Akhilesh was seen right outside the party headquarters in Lucknow on Thursday, 11 January.

The hoarding has been put up by — one Ashutosh Singh — who claims to be the former secretary of SP’s Yuvjan Sabha.

It reads, "Aa Rahein Hai Humare Aaraadhya Prabhu Shri Ram” (Our revered Lord Ram is coming).

This comes at a time when SP's stand over attending the Ram temple event on 22 January remains vague and ambiguous. While, Akhilesh said he will go to the temple whenever 'God would want him to,' his wife, Dimple Yadav had said that she would attend the ceremony if she was invited.

'Ram Doesn't Only Belong to BJP'

The Quint met a few party members outside the SP's office who stated that the party chief and members would go irrespective of whether they receive BJP's invitation.

"Whoever believes in Sanatan Dharma can put up hoardings like these...even Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say that some people believe in Hindu religion and some don't but they are still Hindus, so both are acceptable in their own ways. This is the kind of secularism that should be there," said Anil Rai, spokesperson and party leader from Ballia.

"Ram does not only belong to the BJP, they don't have the sole right over him. He is revered by all of us and belongs to all of us," he continued.

On being asked whether he will attend the ceremony on 22 January, he said that some party members might not go on that day, fearing arrest or detention, but he, along with others, will attend soon after the event.

Echoing his statements, Vikesh Singh Sonu, vice president of the party from Ballia told The Quint, "The BJP can choose to invite us or not...SP members will definitely go...bhagwan ke bulawe ki baat hain." (it's about a call from the God).

Sonu also emphasised on the fact that this commotion over invitation is 'wrong' as it is every person's right to attend the Ram temple.

However, the party members questioned whether President Draupadi Murmu has been invited, alleging that she stood behind a wooden plank that separated her from the area that houses the idols on her visit to Lord Jagannath temple in Delhi's Hauz Khas village last year.

Few days ago, national secretary general of SP, Shivpal Singh Yadav had said in Etawah that "If you see TV these days, first, we don't see important public issues, now there's only Modi, Yogi and Ram Mandir. It's like Lord Ram is only BJP's...people from backward groups, they have more faith in God."

'Not Representative of the Party'

The hoarding also begets the question....who is Ashutosh Singh?

Speaking to The Quint on the condition of anonymity, a spokesperson from the party stated that he's not aware who Singh is and claimed that he is probably just a member of the party and not a prominent leader.

"He is not at any post in the party..it's a big party..so if one wishes, they can put up any hoarding according to their faith, it does not represent the official stance of the party. Someone can put up an exact opposite hoarding, but that does not reflect SP's views officially."

SP Spokesperson, The Quint

SP has four youth wings — Yujvan Sabha, Chhahtra Sabha, Lohiya Vahini and one which carries the name of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Ashutosh seems to be a former member of Yuvjan Sabha.

"Because Ram Mandir all over the news right now...someone might have wanted to get attention on it and himself...I'm not sure which post he held because I don't know him personally," he added.

The spokesperson added that the internal media meeting on strategy will be held on 13 January and an official stance will be decided thereon.