The Samajwadi Party has alleged that a business group was grabbing land of the most backward ‘Manjhi’ caste in Ayodhya and that its goons indulged in hooliganism with farmers, a charge the business conglomerate has denied.

After Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his party posted videos of a clash between two groups and claimed that it was related to land grabbing, the local police said they were taking legal action in the matter. They added that the allegations were not true.

Samajwadi Party Media Cell on X posted two clips, and a news report about an alleged scuffle between employees of the business group and farmers in Ayodhya.

In the post accompanying the clips, it alleged, “In Ayodhya, under the instructions/partnership/protection/direction of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, big industrialists are forcibly occupying lands of Dalit/backward class farmers.”

“After the Ram Mandir verdict, Ayodhya has become a hotspot for property and all the BJP/Chief Minister Adityanath/big industrialists want to wash their hands/take a bath/occupy land in the Saryu,” the post said in Hindi.

The handle also shared an X post by party chief Akhilesh Yadav in which he shared a clip of the scuffle.

He said in the post accompanying the clip, “Detention of farmers in Ayodhya and relief to billionaires... Is the government still in power in UP or has it retired?”

The Samajwadi Party Media Cell further alleged in its post, “Abhinandan Lodha Group is occupying lands of the people of the Manjhi community and its goons are forcibly beating, coercing and involved in hooliganism with the farmers in Ayodhya. The police administration is sold out at the behest/direction of Chief Minister Adityanath and is unethically supporting the Lodha Group and has sent the farmers to jail.”

A spokesperson for Lodha Ventures later said the plot of land was sold to it by a farmer.

“When we went to take possession of that plot, a group of goons, armed with lathis, attacked our people and injured them,” he said.

“Our people suffered severe head injuries and have been hospitalised where they are in a serious condition. We have filed a complaint and arrests have been made by the police,” he added.