Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticized Congress leaders after a fish feast was held in Ayodhya during the holy month of Sawan [1].
The incident has sparked a political clash in the region, highlighting tensions between religious observance and political outreach during a sensitive lunar month.
The event was organized by Congress leader Ram Nihal Nishad as a welcome program for Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai [1]. The feast took place at a marriage lawn located near the Hanumangarhi temple [2].
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the feast disrespected the heritage of Ayodhya and the religious sentiments of the public [1]. He specifically targeted the timing of the event and the movements of the Congress chief.
"This is duplicity – offering prayers at Hanumangarhi and then attending a fish feast," Adityanath said [1].
Congress representatives said the feast was a tradition of the Nishad community [1]. The party framed the gathering as a cultural observance rather than a religious provocation.
Ajay Rai denied participating in the consumption of non-vegetarian food during the event. "I have not eaten fish; if you have proof, show it to me," Rai said [3].
The controversy has led to demands for an apology from the Bharatiya Janata Party and various religious saints [2]. They argued that serving non-vegetarian food during Sawan, a period when many Hindus abstain from such meals, is an affront to the city's spiritual significance.
“"This is duplicity – offering prayers at Hanumangarhi and then attending a fish feast."”
This confrontation underscores the volatile intersection of caste-based political outreach and religious sentiment in Uttar Pradesh. By framing the feast as a Nishad community tradition, the Congress party is attempting to solidify support among specific social groups, while the BJP is leveraging the religious sanctity of Sawan and Ayodhya to paint its opponents as culturally insensitive.
