U.P. Congress chief Ajay Rai has been placed under house arrest at a hotel in Ayodhya, the UP Congress said in a statement. Credit: PTI Video screen grab/X
The Congress’ Uttar Pradesh unit President Ajay Rai has been placed under house arrest at 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 visit to pay obeisance at the Ram temple’s shrine on Tuesday (June 30), amid an ongoing controversy over alleged embezzlement of funds at the temple.
The delegation is expected to be led by the party’s State unit chief Mr. Rai and four other MPs, including Kishori Lal Sharma (Amethi), Rakesh Rathor (Sitapur), Ujjwal Raman Singh (Prayagraj) and Tanuj Punia (Barabanki), according to a statement issued by the Congress.
Former Barabanki MP S P 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 has informed the local administration about the proposed visit.
“Ayodhya lawyers have made it clear that accused persons like Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao must leave Ayodhya within three days. If this does not happen, Ayodhya will be completely blocked, and no lawyer will fight their case. The people of Ayodhya will no longer tolerate those who indulge in corruption in the name of faith. These individuals, under the protection of power, will now have to answer. We are demanding a Supreme Court-monitored investigation in the case,” Mr. Rai had told The Hindu earlier in the day.
Mr. Rai’s wife Rina Rai, in a video statement, said: “After being taken away in a police jeep, now our colleagues are being misled with false information. Our fight against the ‘offering thieves’ will continue. If anything happens to my husband, the full responsibility will lie with this unjust BJP government.”
Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Minister Dayashankar Singh said Opposition leaders do not believe in Lord Ram, have never visited the temple in Ayodhya, taken no part in its construction and yet question people who have given up “family life to serve the nation”.
“These are the people who do not believe in Lord Ram. Some among them do not even accept his existence. They have never gone for Lord Ram’s darshan. Have those criticising ever visited the Ram temple? Have they made any contribution to its construction?” Mr. Singh asked.
With PTI inputs
Published – June 30, 2026 02:20 am IST
