Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday flagged online abuse of voters in Ayodhya following the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) defeat in the Faizabad constituency of Uttar Pradesh in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
Khera said the BJP could not win a seat in Ayodhya and is now abusing the voters.
Addressing the Press, the Congress leader said, “The people of Maharashtra have given a befitting reply to them (BJP)...They could not win a seat in Ayodhya and now you can see how they are abusing the people of Ayodhya.”
He also took a jibe at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is set to form the central government on June 9 with Narendra Modi as its choice for prime minister.
"NDA's full form is Naidu Dependent Alliance or Nitish Dependent Alliance," Khera said.
After the BJP candidate Lallu Singh lost to Samajwadi Party's Dalit candidate Avadhesh Prasad in Faizabad, the Hindutva followers began a hate campaign against the voters of Ayodhya.
This defeat comes soon after the inauguration of Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya in January this year.
Reacting strongly to the unfavourable result for the BJP, some Hindutva groups began using inflammatory and disparaging language against Ayodhya voters.
Two social media influencers – Daksh Chaudhary and Annu Chaudhary -- have also been arrested for abusing Ayodhya voters. In the video, they made offensive remarks against them for voting against the BJP.
The two have been arrested under sections pertaining to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings (295A) and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace (504) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
“The people of Ayodhya have once again repeated history. At that time, Shri Ramchandra ji was betrayed and today the people of Ayodhya have betrayed BJP. No one is more selfish and cruel than the public,” one user commented.
“I am surprised & angry on the Hindus of Ayodhya who votes this bigot Anti-Hindu guy,” another added.
“Also, the govt schemes are available for Ungrateful dhobis of Ayodhya. They are willing to pay JAZIA,” another commented.