Next stop Mathura: Maurya indicates with tweet

In a tweet, he said, "Karvat leti Mathura, Kashi", a clear indication of the state government's posture on the issue.

Lucknow: Buoyed by the Varanasi court’s decision in favour of Hindu petitioners in the Gyanvapi case, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is preparing for a similar battle in Mathura, as hinted by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

In a tweet, he said, “Karvat leti Mathura, Kashi”, a clear indication of the state government’s posture on the issue.

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Maurya’s reference to Mathura is significant in light of challenges being made to the ownership of the Shahi Idgah Mosque land next to Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi.

Though he later clarified that the reaction was a personal one, claiming it had nothing to do with the party, especially as there was no formal reaction from any party member on the matter, Maurya however, did not delete the tweet.

“I had tweeted welcoming the decision on the Shringar Gauri Temple issue and had said that everyone should respect the decision. This was my personal reaction and had nothing to do with the party. I have nothing more to add to this,” he said.

In an earlier tweet, the Deputy Chief Minister said: “Satyam Shivam Sundaram. I welcome the court’s order on the Baba Vishwanath ji Ma Shringar Gauri Temple issue and everyone should respect the court’s order.”

In response, Congress spokesman Surendra Rajput said: “The BJP agenda is very clear and the party speaks in different voices as part of its strategy. They will keep the Gyanvapi and Mathura issues alive for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections so that the communal atmosphere can remain surcharged and people do not talk about poverty, inflation and unemployment. Maurya is Deputy Chief Minister and he cannot term his tweet as ‘personal’.”

A Samajwadi Party spokesman also echoed similar sentiments and said that though the state government had chosen to remain passive on the issue, Maurya’s tweet had said it all.

“The next stop for the BJP is Mathura and Maurya has clarified it,” the spokesman said.