UP Congress Chief Ajay Rai, Multiple MPs Placed Under House Arrest Ahead of Ayodhya Visit

AYODHYA — The political climate in Uttar Pradesh escalated into a major standoff after the state police placed Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) President Ajay Rai, along with multiple newly elected Members of Parliament and senior party leaders, under house arrest.

The clampdown effectively intercepted a high-profile Congress delegation that was scheduled to arrive in Ayodhya to offer prayers at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple.

Pre-Emptive Police Action

The security restrictions began locking down leaders across multiple locations. UPCC Chief Ajay Rai, who arrived in the temple town ahead of the delegation, was confined by police personnel at an Ayodhya hotel.

The dynamic blockade also extended to four prominent Lok Sabha MPs who were part of the scheduled visiting group:

• Kishori Lal Sharma (MP, Amethi)

• Rakesh Rathor (MP, Sitapur)

• Ujjwal Raman Singh (MP, Prayagraj)

• Tanuj Punia (MP, Barabanki)

Other veteran leaders, including former Rajya Sabha MP S.P. Gautam in Barabanki and Pratapgarh District President Neeraj Tripathi, were similarly detained or restricted from moving out of their residences by local police units.

Row Over Temple Trust Transparency

While the district administration and police have maintained a strict administrative silence regarding the legal ground for the sudden house arrests, the opposition party has linked the state's actions directly to an ongoing political controversy regarding funding and land transparency in Ayodhya.

The Congress delegation’s planned visit coincided with intensifying local debates following a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations, which recently saw eight individuals remanded to judicial custody.

Lashing out at the government from containment, Ajay Rai released a strongly worded statement on social media:

"The dictatorship of the BJP government is at its peak! As soon as I arrived in Ayodhya, the government panicked so much that the police arrested me from my hotel," Rai stated. "The administration is trying to hide its failure in the corruption case. Why are they so afraid of Ram devotees coming here? We will neither stop nor bow down."

The state unit further questioned whether having a darshan of Lord Ram has officially been designated a "crime" under the current political dispensation in Uttar Pradesh.

Ruling Party Hits Back

Responding to the opposition's outcry, Uttar Pradesh Minister Dayashankar Singh dismissed the Congress party’s allegations, accusing the opposition of sudden political posturing over a deity whose historical existence they had previously questioned.

"These are the people who do not believe in Lord Ram. They have never gone for Lord Ram's darshan. Have those criticizing ever made any real contribution to its construction?" Singh questioned.

As of Tuesday afternoon, heavy security deployment remains stationed outside the temporary containment quarters of the senior opposition leaders, with party workers launching localized demonstrations across several districts protesting the restrictions.