God belongs to everyone, says Akhilesh on his Ayodhya visit

Samajwadi Party National president Akhilesh Yadav addresses a press conference at the party office in Lucknow on November 11, 2026.

Dismissing the BJP’s criticism of his plans to visit Ayodhya next month, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday (November 11, 2026) emphasised that “God belongs to everyone” and slammed his critics for their alleged loot and destruction in Ayodhya.

Mr. Yadav is scheduled to visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on December 12, with his family. BJP leaders triggered a political war of words by terming his visit politically motivated.

Samajwadi Party National president Akhilesh Yadav celebrates the birthday of Khajanchi, the child who was born in a bank queue during demonetisation, by presenting him with gifts and cash during a press conference at the party office in Lucknow.

“God belongs to everyone. So why should we not visit these places? We will visit Kedareshwar, Mathura and Vrindavan as well. We have been visiting these places before, and we will continue to do so. Those who looted and destroyed the livelihood of common people should answer,” Mr. Yadav told journalists in Lucknow.

The SP president claimed that Uttar Pradesh voters have determined to bring his party back into power in the State.

“The farmers, youth, labourers, and traders of Uttar Pradesh want change. The public has made up its mind to form the government of the Samajwadi Party in 2027. The people of the State are ready; the end of the BJP is near. Under the BJP government, injustice, oppression, inflation, and unemployment are at their peak. The Chief Minister is unaware of the employment rate and unemployment rate,” Mr. Yadav said, urging party workers to win booths and be vigilant.

“The BJP wins elections through dishonesty and fraud. The BJP wanted to commit dishonesty through the [special intensive revision] SIR process, but the workers of the Samajwadi Party and the PDA guards saved their votes. It is the responsibility of all leaders and workers to keep their votes safe and strengthen the booths,” he added.

The SP chief demanded that the voter list be linked with Aadhaar cards and said that these cards should be made of metal so that fakes cannot be created. “If everyone’s Aadhaar card is biometric, then why is the voter list not being linked to the Aadhaar card? When discussions are being held about Digital India and becoming equal to the world, why is the voter list not being linked to the Aadhaar card?” he asked.

Mr. Yadav claimed that the BJP was scared of the PDA, his acronym for an alliance of minorities, Dalits, and backward class voters. “Now the fight is not 80 versus 20, but 95 versus 5. This time in the Assembly elections, the BJP will not be visible on the ground. Seeing the BJP’s defeat, the Chief Minister’s language and behaviour have changed,” he said.

Celebrating the birthday of Khajanchi, a 10-year-old boy born during demonetisation in 2016, Mr. Yadav described ‘note bandi’ as the most corrupt decision in the world’s history.

“The Samajwadi Party celebrates the birthday of Khajanchi every year. Khajanchi was born during the demonetisation. His birthday should be celebrated by the BJP. The BJP should adopt it, but not in the way that BJP leaders adopted the village and then left it orphaned,” he said.

“The BJP should remember a decade of demonetisation. This is ten years of the BJP’s failure. Demonetisation proved to be an ocean of corruption for the BJP government. There has been a 70% increase in the circulation of cash. No other wrong decision of such magnitude has occurred in the entire world. None of the superficial targets during demonetisation were achieved. Demonetisation was like slow poison,” he added.

Uttar Pradesh / Ayodhya Ram Temple / Samajwadi Party