Akhilesh vows to make Ayodhya ‘global capital of Sanatan pilgrimage’

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. | Photo Credit: Shahshi Shekhar Kashyap

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has promised to develop Ayodhya with world-class infrastructure and transform it into the "global capital of Sanatan pilgrimage" if his party comes to power in Uttar Pradesh after the elections next year.

In a post on X late Monday night (November 9, 2026), Mr. Yadav, who prominently raised the alleged donation theft at the Ram temple in June, said his party was committed to restoring Ayodhya's dignity and improving its local economy, which he claimed had been affected by a decline in the number of devotees visiting the holy city.

Alleging that devotees had been hurt by the "theft from the Ram temple", the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said his party would also introduce a transparent system for the temple to restore public confidence.

"We will provide world-class infrastructure and make Ayodhya the 'global capital of Sanatan pilgrimage'," Mr. Yadav said.