Critics view the chief minister’s remark as part of a pattern where Muslim sites are challenged through courts and politics, echoing the path that led to the Ram temple in Ayodhya
NEW DELHI — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has come under heavy criticism after signalling that Kashi and Mathura could be the next flashpoints in Hindutva-driven temple campaigns following the Ayodhya movement. His remarks have intensified concerns over a broader push targeting prominent Muslim heritage sites.
The chief minister made the remarks at the 23rd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025 on Saturday when he was asked about the movements by Hindu groups in Varanasi and Mathura to build temples.
The state government will now work towards establishing temples in Kashi and Mathura as well, Yogi said.
“Sabhi jagah pohochenge, aur pohoch chuke hain” ( We will go everywhere, and have already reached), he said.
Critics view his remark as part of a pattern where Muslim sites are challenged through courts and politics, echoing the path that led to the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and Shahi Eidgah mosque in Mathura have become focal points, with petitions seeking greater Hindu control, alleging historical temple destruction.
Rights groups and opposition parties condemn the move, warning it undermines the Places of Worship Act, 1991, and fuels communal tension. They argue Adityanath’s comments validate fears of a state-backed push to challenge Muslim history and presence in India, shifting focus from governance to religious dominance and targeting the community.
Adityanath touted the completion of the Ram Temple as a defining moment of his tenure and said his government would continue to protect the honour of women and ensure the dignity of all citizens.
“Any society should feel a sense of pride in its heritage. And all these efforts have begun in that direction. We are grateful to the Honourable Supreme Court for its verdict after reviewing the facts and evidence presented before it. It is the biggest victory of Indian democracy that this decision of the Supreme Court was accepted by all,” Adityanath told Hindustan’s editor-in-chief Shashi Shekhar.
However, his suggestion that the Ayodhya dispute marks the beginning of a wider cultural and political project has alarmed critics who say it signals a sustained attempt to recast India’s secular landscape and challenge the historical presence of Muslims in public memory.
