Ayodhya Infrastructure In Crisis: Samajwadi MP Awadesh Prasad Points Finger At BJP

Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad criticises the poor infrastructure in Ayodhya, leading to political backlash and responses from officials.

Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad expressed his distress over the deteriorating infrastructure in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. He highlighted that the temple town, which draws numerous tourists globally, is in a poor state.

During a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in the Lok, Prasad criticised the condition of Ayodhya.

Photo Credit: PTI

He mentioned that the town, home to the Ram Temple, is "filled with garbage" and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "lowering the dignity of Lord Ram".

Infrastructure Issues in Ayodhya

Prasad's comments came amid reports of waterlogging and potholes in Rampath. Acharya Satyendra Das, head priest of the Ram Temple, also pointed out negligence in the temple's construction. He complained about water leaks from the sanctum sanctorum's roof during rains.

Despite these issues, Ram Temple Construction Committee chairman Nripendra Misra denied any flaws in the temple's construction. However, six officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) and Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam were suspended.

Prasad shared his observations from a recent visit to Ayodhya. He said he was disheartened by the roads filled with sewage water and mud. "I feel very upset with the state of Ayodhya… I went there a few weeks ago and saw the roads were filled with sewage water and mud," he stated.

Political Reactions and Allegations

The MP's remarks received applause from SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who sat beside him. Prasad also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station last December. He alleged that its boundary walls had already "crumbled".

He further claimed that poor residents were not compensated for lands taken for city redevelopment. On Monday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi echoed similar sentiments. He stated that Ayodhya residents lost their land and were excluded from the Ram Temple inauguration.

This prompted a sharp response from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He asserted that compensation was provided for all acquired lands, houses or shops related to projects like Rampath, Bhakti Path, Janmabhoomi Path or Ayodhya Airport.

Recent Political Developments

The grand opening of the Ram Temple by Modi on January 22 this year marked a significant event for Ayodhya. Following this event, Faizabad voters rejected BJP’s two-time MP Lallu Singh in favour of Prasad by a margin of 54,567 votes.

Prasad concluded by emphasising his pain at seeing Ayodhya’s current state. "It seems that the garbage of the entire world is in Ayodhya," he remarked.