UP Cong Chief Ajay Rai Says He is Under House Arrest in Ayodhya

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai on Tuesday claimed he has been placed under "house arrest" here and would not leave the temple town until allowed to offer prayers at the Ram temple.

A Congress delegation led by Rai was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Tuesday amid the ongoing controversy over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the shrine. The delegation was to include MPs Kishori Lal Sharma (Amethi), Rakesh Rathor (Sitapur), Ujjwal Raman Singh (Prayagraj) and Tanuj Punia (Barabanki).

Rai said he was moved from a hotel to a government guesthouse at the Acharya Narendra Dev University around midnight and kept there under police watch.

"What kind of government is this that is scared of our visiting the Ram temple? I think they have arrested me. Why would they bring me to this guesthouse in the middle of the night and keep me confined here?" Rai told PTI over the phone.

There was no immediate confirmation from Ayodhya Police on whether Rai had been formally arrested.

According to Rai, members of the Congress delegation travelling separately for Tuesday's programme were either stopped on the way, confined to their homes or detained by police.

Amethi MP Sharma said in a video statement that he too had been prevented from visiting the temple.

"They could not stop the donation theft, but they have stopped us Hindus from offering prayers at the temple. What kind of sanatan tradition is this that prevents people from having darshan?" he asked.

Rai's wife Reena Rai also put out a video statement late Monday, saying her husband had been taken into custody by police and the family had not been informed about his whereabouts.

"The family is worried, and we fear for his safety," she said.

Several Congress workers staged a sit-in protest on a road in the Kumar Ganj area, demanding that their leaders be released.

Rai paid obeisance at the Ram temple on June 18, days after the allegations of embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple had surfaced.

The alleged embezzlement of temple donations has triggered a major political controversy with opposition parties demanding a wider probe and the BJP accusing them of trying to politicise a religious issue.