BJP defends Yogi's Ayodhya visit, slams Opposition

Defending Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit to Ayodhya, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said that the visit should not be objected, adding the Opposition parties must answer why do they visit the religious place only at the time of elections.

"When Yogi's visit was announced it was said that it will include a visit every district and discussing various issues over there. Nobody should object Yogi's visit to Ram Mandir which is entirely for religious purposes. Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati and Rahul Gandhi must answer why they visit Ayodhya only before elections," BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh told ANI.

He further said that the Opposition parties want to make an issue out of anything.

"When he went to Varanasi he visited Baba Vishwanath's temple and in Mathura he visited Vrindavan, but the Opposition parties want to make an issue out of anything. They all have lost their mind," he added.

Singh asserted that the BJP is proud that after Rajnath Singh this is the second time a BJP's Chief Minister is visiting Ayodhya.

Adityanath's visit comes a day after the crucial Babri Masjid hearing in which senior BJP leaders were slapped with charges of criminal conspiracy.

This is Adityanath's first visit, post taking charge as Chief Minister.

Yesterday, he had paid a visit to BJP veterans Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, who had come to Lucknow to appear before a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

In a major setback to Advani, Joshi and Uma, the court yesterday rejected their discharge application, framing charges against them and the other nine accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

Charges of criminal conspiracy under section 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have been framed.

However, the accused will now move the Allahabad High Court against the CBI court's order.

Earlier yesterday, the court granted bail to all the accused by signing a personal bond of Rs. 20,000.

"They have been granted bail by signing bonds of Rs. 20,000. We have submitted discharge application. If the court rejects it, then charges will be framed," said lawyer of accused Prashant Atal.

The court had also asked BJP leader Vinay Katiyar, VHP's Vishnu Hari Dalmia and Sadhvi Ritambara to present themselves before the court in person.

While directing the accused to present themselves in person, the judge had said no application for adjournment or exemption from personal appearance shall be entertained.

The court, which is hearing two separate cases relating to the demolition, would also frame charges against Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Mahant Ram Vilas Vedanti, Baikunth Lal Sharma alias Prem Ji, Champat Rai Bansal, Mahant Dharma Das and Satish Pradhan in the second matter.