Hindu nationalist singer Shahnaz Akhtar declared, “Shri Ram is here; now it’s time for Mathura and Kashi,” calling for the “reclaiming” of disputed sites in Mathura and Varanasi. She spoke against communal brotherhood, claiming that Hindus are exploited as “chara”, and argued that if such brotherhood existed, Hindus would not have to fight legal cases over Kashi and Mathura. She also peddled the anti-Muslim conspiracy theory of “love jihad,” warning women against Muslim men and questioning why they would prefer an “Abdul” over Hindu men, alleging that such relationships lead to women being “cut into pieces.” BJP MLA Pradeep Prasad claimed that the city belongs to “Ram bhakts” and asserted that it would function according to their will.