U.P. Congress chief Ajay Rai placed under house arrest in Ayodhya ahead of party delegation’s visit
In the statement made by the UP Congress, it was stated that UP Congress president Ajay Rai was placed under house arrest in a hotel in Ayodhya. Credit: PTI Video screen capture/X
Congress’s Uttar Pradesh unit President Ajay Rai has been placed under house arrest in a hotel in Ayodhya, the opposition party said in a statement on Monday evening, June 29, 2026. This development comes ahead of a high-level party delegation’s visit to pay obeisance to the Ram temple shrine on Tuesday (June 30), amid ongoing controversy over alleged misappropriation of funds from the temple.
According to a statement released by the Congress, the delegation is expected to be led by the party’s State unit president Mr Rai and four other MPs, including Kishori Lal Sharma (Amethi), Rakesh Rathor (Sitapur), Ujjwal Raman Singh (Prayagraj) and Tanuj Punia (Barabanki).
Former Barabanki MP SP Gautam, former MLC Deepak Singh, former Maharajganj MLA Virendra Chaudhary and former Barabanki MLA Mita Gautam will also be there with the delegation.
The party informed the local government about the proposed visit.
“Ayodhya lawyers have made it clear that the accused like Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao must leave Ayodhya within three days. If this does not happen, Ayodhya will be completely shut down and no lawyer will fight their cases. The people of Ayodhya will no longer tolerate those who indulge in corruption in the name of faith. These people, who are under the protection of the force, will now have to answer. We demand a Supreme Court-monitored investigation in the case.” Mr. Rai said Hindu in the early hours of the day.
Mr. Rai’s wife, Rina Rai, said in her video statement: “After being taken away in a police jeep, our colleagues are now being misled with false information. Our fight against ‘bid thieves’ will continue. If anything happens to my husband, the entire responsibility will fall on this unjust BJP government.”
Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Minister Dayashankar Singh said Opposition leaders did not believe in Lord Ram, had never visited the temple in Ayodhya, had no role in its construction and yet questioned people who had given up “family life to serve the nation”.
“These are people who do not believe in Lord Ram. Some of them do not even accept his existence. They have never gone for darshan of Lord Ram. Have the critics ever visited the Ram temple? Have they contributed anything to its construction?” Mr Singh asked.
With PTI inputs
It was published – 30 June 2026 02:20 IST
