Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has claimed that there is a 'shivling' - a cylindrical idol that represents the Hindu god Shiva - under the official residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow.
His remarks come against a backdrop of a raging controversy over the excavation of an ancient step well in Sambhal, the Uttar Pradesh district which witnessed deadly clashes over a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque last month.
Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Mr Yadav said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is getting excavation done at various places to "hide its failure" and to divert attention from the issues related to the public.
"We believe there is a 'shivling' under the chief minister's residence too. Excavation should also be done there," he said.
The former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh also alleged that the "houses of innocent people are being demolished illegally by bulldozers".
"This is not development but destruction. There is no line of development in the hands of the chief minister, there is a line of destruction," Mr Yadav added.
BJP's Response To Akhilesh Yadav
Responding to Akhilesh Yadav's charge, BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi asked why he "has a problem" with digging in Sambhal.
"In 2013, he (Mr Yadav) used the entire state machinery to excavate 1,000 tonnes of gold. He is ready to excavate the gold, but has a problem with a 'Shivling'. That's why he is talking about digging the chief minister's residence," Mr Tripathi told the news agency PTI.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala also slammed the "shameless" Samajwadi Party and said it is "mocking 'Shivling' for scoring points with the vote bank".
Excavation In Sambhal
The authorities in Sambhal district last week began the renovation and excavation of the ancient "Mrityu Kup" (well of death) at Kot Purvi.
According to locals, the well was abandoned several years ago and filled with debris, which will be cleared. They claim the well is not only a historic landmark but also a sacred site where devotees believe they can attain salvation by bathing.
The structure near the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid -- where a court-ordered survey led to violence last month, leaving four people dead.
Internet services were suspended in the district in the wake of the violence.
The mosque was surveyed on the orders of a local court following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple stood at the site previously.
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