Congress slams UP govt over liquor shops on Ram Path

New Delhi

The Congress party on Thursday strongly criticized the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, accusing it of allowing liquor shops to operate near the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, despite a ban. Congress claimed that alcohol sales within a 13-kilometre radius of Ram Path were prohibited by the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation on May 1, 2025, making the presence of liquor shops in the area an insult to the holy city.

At a press conference, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Rai played a video from a media report showing alcohol being sold near Ram Path. He alleged that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government is ignoring its own rules to make money and questioned how the liquor shops received permission to operate.

Rai demanded to know when the licenses were issued and whether action would be taken against officials who approved them. He added that the presence of liquor outlets near Lord Ram's birthplace goes against the cultural and spiritual sentiment of Ayodhya.

Rai also cited a BBC report to accuse the UP government of hiding the real number of deaths during the Maha Kumbh stampedes. While the government reported 37 deaths, he claimed that 82 people had actually died.

He accused the BJP government of misleading people and lacking accountability. The truth is very different from what the government claims, Rai said.