"It is very clear that this decision (denial of permission) has been taken for Muslim appeasement. But this yatra is not going to be stopped. There will be adverse consequences not only in UP but across the country if it is stopped forcibly," VHP patron Ashok Singhal said. "We wanted to conduct it peacefully, but Mulayam's Muslim colleague does not want the yatra."

The Sangh Parivar also voiced its objections to the SP government's decision and maintained that the saints were well within their rights to organise such religious yatras without any hinderance from the state government.

In a tweet, RSS leader Ram Madhav said the UP government's decision was "unfortunate" and "an assault" on the fundamental right to religion of Hindus. "This (denial of permission) is like trampling the basic rights of Hindus because parikrama is a sacred religious activity of Hindus. If saints want to continue, the state should not come in their way," Madhav said.

The issue also came up for brief discussion during the BJP parliamentary party meeting.