Lucknow, Dec 16 (IANS) With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly's Winter session scheduled to be held on Monday, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mata Prasad Pandey has said that the Samajwadi Party (SP) would raise concerns over rising communal tensions in the state, particularly the situation in Sambhal.
LoP Pandey added that the party would hold the government accountable for attempts to disturb communal harmony and anticipated significant uproar in the session.
While addressing the media, Pandey said, "Tomorrow (December 16), we will give notice to the government regarding the communal incidents taking place and the efforts being made to disrupt harmony through riots. We will hold the government accountable for these incidents. Tomorrow, we are expected to witness significant uproar in the session."
Pandey also responded to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's remarks on the discovery of a temple in Sambhal.
"The Chief Minister spoke, and he has the right to do so. But why has the temple only been found now? Was it excavated, or was it already there and only recently recognised?" he questioned.
The Leader of the Opposition affirmed that the Samajwadi Party would continue its fight against all forms of injustice.
"The Samajwadi Party will fight against all forms of injustice, across all communities, and will raise issues concerning the public, such as unemployment, farmers' grievances, or any other injustices, " he said.
Pandey criticised the government for deflecting from key issues and diverting attention from real problems.
"The biggest issue in the country today is unemployment. Farmers are facing numerous challenges, and to divert attention from these, the government is engaging in distractions. Why is the government afraid to answer the concerns of a state with 25 crore people?" he said.
Pandey also reiterated the Samajwadi Party's opposition to the idea of early elections, in contrast to Mayawati's support for the proposal.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday questioned the 46-year closure of a historic temple in Sambhal and the lack of justice for victims of alleged violence during that period, accusing previous governments of neglecting faith and heritage.
Referring to Sambhal, he asked, "Did the administration suddenly build such an ancient temple overnight? Did Lord Hanuman's centuries-old idol appear overnight? Did the ancient jyotirlinga just emerge out of nowhere? Was this not a matter of faith? Why have the culprits responsible for the massacre in Sambhal 46 years ago not been punished? Why is there no discussion about the innocent lives lost back then? What was the fault of those who were brutally killed in Sambhal 46 years ago?".
CM Yogi Adityanath further raised hypothetical questions about the developments in Ayodhya, saying, "What if the Ayodhya verdict on the Ram temple had not been delivered? What if the Ram temple had not been built? Would there have been an international airport in Ayodhya? Would Ayodhya's streets have been developed into four-lane roads? Would Ayodhya have achieved such excellent connectivity?".
He said that Ayodhya's residents and visiting devotees are now happy with the transformation while accusing certain groups of opposing these changes. According to CM Yogi Adityanath, such groups had inserted the word secular into the Constitution, undermining its essence.
"They are troubled by the transformation of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the construction of the Ram temple, and the divine grandeur of Ayodhya. Their grievance is that, despite ruling for decades, they achieved nothing. Instead of introspecting, they blame our success for their own failures, " he said.
The Chief Minister's comments came in the wake of the rediscovery and reopening of a 400-year-old Lord Shiva and Hanuman temple in Sambhal, which had been closed since 1978. The temple was uncovered during an inspection related to encroachment and electricity theft. Officials have announced plans to restore the temple to its original structure.