Akhilesh's govt bans VHP yatra; Ayodhya braces for a showdown

Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh is a heavily fortified town as it gears up for its latest political challenge. In four days from now, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad or the VHP plans to set off on a 300-km yatra around Ayodhya to revive its demand for a Ram temple, despite the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh having banned the yatra. This has brought the ruling Samajwadi Party in political confrontation with the VHP and other affiliates of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, one of which is the BJP.