UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reach Ayodhya, offer prayers at Ramjanmabhoomi

Yogi Adityanath and Sarbananda Sonowal are in the holy city to launch several developmental projects.

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday (December 24, 2021) reached Ayodhya and offered prayers at the Ramjanmabhoomi.

The two leaders also performed an 'aarti'.

"Jai Shri Ram! Blessed to have the Divya Darshan of Bhagwan Shri Ramlalla Virajman at the Shri Ram Janambhumi Mandir in Ayodhya with UP CM Shri Yogi Adityanath ji. May Lord Shri Ram bless us all with good health and happiness," Sonowal tweeted.

Yogi Adityanath and Sarbananda Sonowal are in the holy city to launch various developmental projects.

The visit comes amid the Yogi Adityanath-led government facing flak over the alleged land 'scam' in Ayodhya linked to local MLAs and relatives of state government officials. 

Earlier on Thursday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and BSP supremo Mayawati sought the intervention of the Supreme Court in the said case, a day after the Uttar Pradesh government ordered a probe into the matter.

Gandhi dismissed as an "eyewash" the probe into what she called as Ayodhya land 'scam' in areas around the proposed Ram temple while Mayawati demanded that the state government cancel the land deals if the allegations on the issue are true.

Gandhi said the Supreme Court should take suo motu cognisance of the land deals and hold an inquiry as the Ram temple in Ayodhya is being built following its order.

She also accused BJP leaders and officials of indulging in "corruption" and said they have hurt the faith of people who have donated for the construction of the Ram temple.

As per a media report, MLAs, mayors, relatives of the commissioner, SDM and DIG have bought land in Ayodhya after the apex court announced the verdict in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in November 2019. This is noteworthy that the long-awaited verdict had cleared the way for the construction of the Ram temple.

Mayawati, a former UP chief minister, urged the Supreme Court to take note of the media report and order a high-level inquiry into the land deals.

"It is a very serious matter. My party would want the Supreme Court to take notice and if the allegations are true, the state government needs to get the deals cancelled," she told reporters in Lucknow when asked to comment on the report.

(With agency inputs)