Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | UP police to book those lampooning Ayodhya residents after BJP's defeat in polls

Lucknow: Taking a serious note of social media posts lampooning the residents of Ayodhya following defeat of the BJP candidate Lallu Singh from there in the Lok Sabha poll, the Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday warned of strict action against those posting 'objectionable' messages on social media and said that cases would be registered against such people.

A senior police official said in Ayodhya that some 'miscreants' were trying to foment trouble and disturb social harmony by posting 'objectionable' messages on social media platforms. ''We are trying to identify such social media accounts and examine their content...we will take action if the content is found to be violative of the law,'' he added.

Police sources said that cases had also been registered after it was found that the content was in violation of the law. ''The offenders will be booked and sent to jail,'' the official warned.

The police action came after social media was flooded with messages 'lampooning' the residents of Ayodhya for not supporting the BJP, which had got the Ram Temple constructed and ensured all round development of the temple town. The residents of Ayodhya were dubbed 'traitors' and 'anti-Lord Rama' in the messages.

Two activists of a saffron outfit, identified as Deepak Choudhary and Manu Choudhary were arrested by the Delhi police a few days back for posting objectionable content on social media against the residents of Ayodhya.

Sunil Lahari, who had played the role of Luxman in the TV serial 'Ramayana', was so furious over BJP's defeat in Ayodhya that he even termed the residents of the town as 'Katappa'. According to a report, the residents of Ayodhya, who worked outside, were being 'socially boycotted' and subjected to humiliation.

The saints of Ayodhya have taken strong exception to such posts and said that the BJP nominee Lallu Singh had himself to blame for his defeat. ''BJP needs to introspect and find out the reasons behind the loss,'' said Mahant Awadhesh Das, an Ayodhya based saint.

Samajwadi Party nominee Awadhesh Prasad had defeated Lallu Singh by over 54 thousand votes to wrest the seat from the saffron party.