Ayodhya's 'Ram Mandir is bekaar': SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav faces backlash for ‘anti-Hindu’ remark

Ram Gopal Yadav, a veteran Samajwadi Party leader, stoked controversy with his comments when he said that the newly-constructed Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya was "bekaar (useless)" and not built as per "Vaastu (traditional Hindu system of architecture)."

The direct attack on BJP-led Central government, through his controversial statement on Ram Mandir, was made amid Lok Sabha polls 2024 which is underway.

Talking to News18, Yadav said: “I worship Lord Ram every day. Some people have patented Ram Navmi. But, that Mandir (Ram Temple in Ayodhya) is bekaar. The temple's blueprint was flawed. It’s not how temples are built. The design and map of the temple is not according to Vaastu.”

BJP reacts, take a swipe at Ram Gopal Yadav

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the SP leader for his remarks on the temple, calling him "anti-Hindu" and "anti-Ram".

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath said: "The INDI Alliance is playing with faith of people for vote bank politics. They have always opposed the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Vinaash Kale Viprit Buddhi. Whatever Ram Gopal Yadav said is an insult to Sanatan beliefs.”

"These are the same people who opened fire on Kar Sevaks and even denied the existence of Lord Ram. So it is meaningless to expect such leaders to be sensitive to the religious sentiments of the majority of the country's population and our avowed deities." Adityanath said.

“People supporting the SP (Samajwadi Party) oppose Ram, shoot at Ram bhakts, support terrorists, celebrate the death of Ram bhakts and shed tears when mafias die...," the Uttar Pradesh CM said at an election rally on Tuesday.

'Shocking & most insulting'

Attacking the SP leader, BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla said Ram Gopal Yadav's comment was "shocking & most insulting".

"SP Leader Ram Gopal Yadav says It's 'bekaar', its structure isn't right," Poonawalla said.

Another leader of BJP and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi questioned Yadav's statement and said: “Haj House in Ghaziabad is good for them but Ram Mandir is useless for them. Agra's Mughal Garden was good and Ram Mandir bekaar. INDIA bloc should speak on this. Would you want to lock Ram Mandir again?”

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and BJP leader VD Sai, also took a swipe at Yadav for his statement and said, "He is anti-Ram; he can say anything he wants. He declined the invitation to attend the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Temple. He also raised questions on the existence of Ram".

Meanwhile, former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam too reacted on Yadav's Ram temple statement and said: “I didn’t know Ram Gopal believed so much in vaastu. He has played a major role in bringing Akhilesh Yadav’s SP down. He is responsible for the fall of his party.”

With inputs from agencies