Akhilesh Yadav alleges land scam in Ayodhya by BJP, govt officials

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday, 12 September, accused the members of the ruling BJP and the government officials of involvement in a major land scam in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya.

Speaking at a party event in Lucknow, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister alleged that the ongoing land-related theft in the holy city was part of a broader pattern of corruption facilitated by those in power.

Yadav had earlier on 10 July also attacked the Uttar Pradesh government over the alleged sale of land in Ayodhya to outsiders of late, claiming a scam of billions of rupees and demanded a thorough investigation into these land deals.

He had latched on to a news report in the Indian Express to attack the Yogi Adityanath-led dispensation.

"Officials and BJP members are engaged in loot and where there is theft, there will be no development. I thank our party leaders for exposing the dark reality of the looting in Ayodhya," Yadav said on Thursday.

"If they can commit such theft in a sacred place like Ayodhya, imagine how much more is happening in other districts of Uttar Pradesh," he added.

Yadav claimed that farmers, who wanted to donate land for good causes, were denied compensation when the circle rate was increased.

"When poor and naive individuals had their land taken and handed over to others, the circle rate in Ayodhya was raised. Isn't this a loss of revenue?" he asked.

The former chief minister also highlighted the alleged involvement of the BJP officials in illegal activities.

"I am pleased that we have received copies of the land registry involving the BJP officials. The defence land, which was meant for artillery practice, was also sold off by the BJP members. They even changed the railway alignment, which previously did not affect the land of the poor or their businesses," Yadav alleged.

"This change is a deliberate move to seize land from those who have been living and working there for centuries," he said.

The Samajwadi Party president also hit out at the BJP for its stance on corruption.

"Is this their definition of 'zero tolerance' for corruption? The slogan they promoted seems to mean enriching their own people. While the common people were unaware of the future value of their land, officials and BJP members knew all along," he said.

Addressing the Samajwadi Party supporters from Ayodhya, Yadav assured them of his party's support.

"We are not against development. We want Ayodhya to become a world-class city with world-class infrastructure, but that requires vision," Yadav said.

"I assure the people of Ayodhya that when the Samajwadi Party government comes to power in two years, we will transform Ayodhya into a world-class city and compensate for any losses suffered by farmers and the poor. We will ensure their homes are filled with prosperity," he added.