Agra, June 29 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday attacked Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in a political war of words over the Ram temple donation controversy, challenging him to openly speak out in favour of a movement for the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura on the lines of the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign, while lambasting him over his remarks on Ayodhya. Adityanath made the remarks in Hathras. Without mentioning the donation controversy, the chief minister said, "Akhileshji, Ayodhya has already been transformed by Lord Ram's devotees. Don't worry about it. Repent, visit Ram Lalla once, at least that will bring you some wisdom. Now prepare so that we can also do something for Lord Krishna." Yadav is yet to visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Yadav, during his visit to Prayagraj on Sunday, alleged that the BJP had shifted from "nation first" to "donation first" and accused the ruling party of functioning on a "4C formula" - "chanda (donations), chori (theft), chaturai (cunning) and chalaki (deceit)". Adityanath also said he was surprised to hear Yadav's statement, who on Saturday promised to make Ayodhya a "dharam nagari" (religious city) if his party comes to power in the state. On Saturday in Azamgarh, Yadav said that people's faith had been played with in view of the alleged embezzlement of donations received for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He added that if his party is voted to power, they would develop Ayodhya into an "inimitable" sacred city. "You say your government will make Ayodhya a religious city. What religious city will you make?Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav should be aware of the history of his own party which had fired on Ram Bhakts in Ayodhya," Adityanath said in a reference to Akhilesh Yadav's father Mulayam Singh Yadav, who as the then Uttar Pradesh chief minister, ordered firing on karsevaks in Ayodhya in the 1990s. He further challenged the SP chief, saying, "Akhileshji, now talk about Mathura. If you are truly trying to present yourself as religious, then speak openly about Mathura, Vrindavan and Krishna Janmabhoomi. Say that, just like the Ram Janmabhoomi liberation movement, a campaign should also be launched for the liberation of the Krishna Janmabhoomi." He asserted that "Lord Krishna's birthplace also deserves respect" and alleged that the Opposition lacked the courage to speak on the issue. There is a legal dispute concerning the Krishna Janmabhoomi. The Hindu side claims that the Shahi Idgah mosque at Mathura was built after demolishing a temple at the birthplace of Lord Krishna. The chief minister added that Ayodhya had regained its identity under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the efforts of Ram devotees and said the city did not need the Samajwadi Party's endorsement. "Akhilesh Yadav should not talk about Ayodhya because it was during his regime that celebration of Janmasthmi (birth of Lord Krishna) at police stations and jails was stopped and 'kanwar yatra' banned," he alleged. 'Why does not Akhilesh Yadav, who is shedding crocodile tears for Ayodhya, come out in the open and support the idea of a movement for the Sri Krishna Janmbhoomi on the pattern of the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation and get the pride of Krishna Janmabhoomi restored?" "We are doing our best on a war footing to improve the infrastructure in Mathura and Vrindavan, but Akhilesh Yadav cannot dare to take its name because he has no other agenda than to bow before 'mullahs' and 'maulvis'," Adityanath said. Attacking the Congress as well, he said both the Samajwadi Party and the Congress tried to mislead people in the name of the Constitution during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. "It was the Congress which strangulated the spirit of the Constitution drafted by Dr BR Ambedkar while imposing the Emergency in June 1975," he said. "Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav were also arrested by the then anti-Constitution regime of the Congress. Insulting the legacy of party patriarch the late Mulayam Singh Yadav, the same Samajwadi Party has now joined hands with the Congress," he said. In Hathras, the chief minister laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects involving an investment of over Rs 500 crore. He claimed that unlike the past, a "totally peaceful" Moharram was observed across the state on June 26 and said safety and security need to be ensured first to foster economic development. After the Hathras event, the chief minister visited Agra where he took lunch and reviewed the law and order situation and development work....