However, the installation did not sit well with members of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the apex body of Hindu religious leaders. Its president, Mahant Ravindra Puri, voiced strong opposition, accusing Mulayam Singh Yadav of being “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Sanatan”. Puri argued that the statue’s installation was an inappropriate move, reminding seers of the late leader’s controversial actions during his tenure as chief minister. He claimed that Mulayam Singh Yadav had been “in favour of Muslims” and had not supported the Ram temple movement, which has long been a central issue for many Hindu groups.“We have no objection to Mulayam Singh Yadav’s statue. He was our Chief Minister, and no one can deny his political significance. But what message are they trying to convey by installing this statue now?” Puri asked. “Everyone knows about his contribution or lack thereof in the Ram temple movement. He has always been seen as anti-Hindu, anti-Sanatan, and favouring Muslims,” Puri continued.Juna Akhara’s Mahamandaleshwar Yati Narsinghanand also lent support to Puri’s remarks, backing the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad’s condemnation of the statue. Both figures have expressed concerns that the installation of the statue at a site as sacred as the Kumbh Mela a major Hindu religious event was an affront to their beliefs.
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