OP Rajbhar Launches Fiery Attack on Akhilesh Yadav

Igniting a sharp political controversy across Uttar Pradesh's political landscape, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) national president and state Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar launched a fierce verbal assault against Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav during the latter's official tour of Varanasi on Tuesday. Taking to social media platforms, the minister criticized the former chief minister for allegedly avoiding sacred Hindu shrines in the holy city, asserting that it is deeply regrettable that while visiting Varanasi, Yadav lacked the willingness to offer prayers and bow his head before Baba Vishwanath. Warning the opposition leader against an over-reliance on vote-bank consolidation, Rajbhar remarked that pursuing competitive appeasement to an extreme degree risks alienating the broader Hindu community.Accusations of Avoiding Ayodhya and Mathura Sanctuaries Amid Polarized Political RhetoricExpanding his critique to earlier high-profile travels undertaken by the Samajwadi Party chief, the cabinet minister claimed that Yadav consistently keeps his distance from prominent temple complexes across the state. Rajbhar pointed out that during Yadav's previous visit to Ayodhya, he chose to turn away from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple instead of offering respects, adding that the SP president appears hesitant whenever he is in proximity to Mathura's Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi. Framing his criticism around political optics, the SBSP leader questioned why the opposition leadership seems noticeably keen on visiting minority religious sites such as mosques, shrines, Idgahs, dargahs, and graveyards while consciously evading iconic Hindu places of worship.Missed Sawan Jalabhishek Invitation Sparks Introspection Jibe Over Spiritual DistanceHighlighting historical customs in Varanasi, Rajbhar recalled that during the sacred month of Sawan, members of Kashi’s Yaduvanshi community are traditionally accorded the honor of performing the preliminary Jalabhishek at the sanctum sanctorum of the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Pointing out missed opportunities, the minister noted that despite receiving a formal personal invitation from local community representatives last year to participate in this revered spiritual rite, Yadav offered procedural excuses and bypassed the ceremony altogether. Concluding his sharp remarks, Rajbhar urged the Samajwadi Party leader to engage in self-reflection, asserting that spiritual access to sacred spaces occurs only when divine grace permits, and questioning why neither Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, nor Baba Vishwanath seem to beckon him to their doorways.