Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai has alleged that he is placed under house arrest in Ayodhya ahead of a planned party delegation’s visit to the Ram Temple. Multiple outlets report that Rai was scheduled to lead Congress MPs and leaders for darshan on Tuesday. The Congress says it had already informed the local administration about the delegation’s visit, and that Rai was confined to a hotel in Ayodhya, preventing him and other leaders from proceeding to the temple. The party frames the move as an attempt by the Uttar Pradesh administration to stop opposition leaders from raising questions connected to an alleged donation embezzlement controversy involving the temple.
The allegation comes amid a wider political dispute between the Congress and the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, BJP officials accused opposition leaders of not having visited the temple or contributed to its construction, while Congress leaders counter that the visit and demands for accountability are religious and peaceful. News reports also mention that protests erupted among Congress workers after the allegation of house arrest. Authorities have not issued an official stated reason for the detention or confinement, according to the coverage.
