Gods belong to all, says Akhilesh ahead of Ayodhya visit

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has asserted that gods and religious shrines are not the exclusive domain of any single group, ahead of his planned visit to Ayodhya. Speaking on the occasion of a tenth birthday celebration, Yadav emphasized that sacred sites such as Kedarnath, Mathura, and Vrindavan are shared heritage sites accessible to all citizens regardless of political affiliation.

Yadav used the occasion to launch a broader critique of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's governance, particularly targeting the 2016 demonetization policy. He characterized the note ban as a "vast ocean of corruption," contending that the controversial move inflicted substantial economic damage on key sections of Indian society.

According to Yadav, farmers, small traders, and business owners bore the brunt of the demonetization policy's negative fallout. The Samajwadi Party leader's comments reflect his party's ongoing opposition to key economic policies implemented by the central government and underscore attempts by the regional party to position itself as a defender of marginalized economic constituencies.