Keshav Prasad Maurya asks Opposition if they support grand Krishna temple in Mathura

Lucknow: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Thursday questioned the Opposition if they support the construction of a grand Krishna temple in Mathura, a day after he stirred a controversy by saying that preparations are afoot for it. “The construction of grand temples is on in Ayodhya and Kashi, and preparations are on for one in Mathura (Ayodhya Kashi bhavya mandir nirmaan jaari hai Mathura kee tyaari hai),” Maurya said in a tweet he posted in Hindi.

अयोध्या काशी भव्य मंदिर निर्माण जारी है
मथुरा की तैयारी है #जय_श्रीराम #जय_शिव_शम्भू #जय_श्री_राधे_कृष्ण

— Keshav Prasad Maurya (@kpmaurya1) December 1, 2021

Mathura is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna. The supposed temple site, which is a subject of multiple lawsuits, is located inside an Aurangzeb-era mosque in Mathura and shares its premises with a prominent temple. The Mathura district administration on November 28 imposed prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 following an announcement by the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha to instal a Lord Krishna idol at the deity’s “actual birthplace”, which it claims is inside the mosque. Talking to newspersons on Thursday, Maurya said he want to ask from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other Opposition leaders “if they support a grand temple at the actual Krishna janmabhoomi or oppose it”. Speaking about his Wednesday’s tweet, Maurya said, “A grand temple is being constructed at the Ram janmabhoomi. A grand corridor is being made at Baba Vishwanathji in Kanshi and it is the wish of all Krishna devotees that a grand temple is constructed at the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura and I have only expressed it.” When asked if it will be an election issue, he said,“The Krishan temple is not an election issue, just as the Ram temple in Ayodhya or Baba Vishwanathji in Varanasi are not election issues.” “Akhilesh Yadavji, who claims he is a Krishna bhakt, Ram bhakta, Shiv bhakta and Ganga bhakta, will he answer whether he wants a grand temple at Krishna Janmabhoomi or not,” he asked. He also lashed out at the opposition parties for politics of Muslim appeasement. Reacting to Maurya’s tweet, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had said the comment shows the BJP is sensing defeat in upcoming Assembly polls.