Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 19 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scathing attack on the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) during his address at the Deepotsav-2025 event organised in Shri Ayodhya Dham, accusing them of undermining India's eternal faith and obstructing the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Speaking ahead of the ninth edition of Deepotsav, the Chief Minister emphasised the cultural and spiritual significance of the festival, describing it as a celebration of truth and faith.
"While we are illuminating Ayodhya with millions of lamps, we must not forget that during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the Congress party declared in court that Lord Shri Ram was a myth. The Congress party gave an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that Shri Ram was a myth, and that the Samajwadi Party had fired bullets at Ram devotees in this very Ayodhya. These are the same people who pray at Babar's tomb, but when invited to the ceremony of the consecration of Ram Lalla in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, they reject the invitation," CM Yogi said, alleging double standards of the Opposition.
He further accused the Congress and SP of consistently insulting India's faith.
"We must remember their double standards. How these people have been insulting India's eternal faith, and what kind of words they have been using. They even questioned the existence of Ram. Sometimes they go to the grave of an invader and offer prayers, and then they leave no stone unturned to insult India's faith. These are the same people who, during the Ram Mandir movement, deployed separate advocates to prevent the construction of the temple in Ayodhya, so they could protest and create obstacles in the path of the Ram Mandir. But today we can say they fired bullets. We are lighting lamps in Ayodhya," he said.
"They had erased Ayodhya's identity and renamed it Faizabad, and we have brought back the identity of Ayodhya, making it Ayodhya Dham again," he added.
Reflecting on the inception of Deepotsav in 2017, CM Yogi recalled the challenges faced in reviving the tradition.
"When we decided in 2017 to organise the first Deepotsav in Ayodhya Dham, the sentiment behind it was singular: to show the world how lamp-lighting should be done and on what occasion it should be celebrated. Thousands of years ago, when the world was living in darkness, Ayodhya had lit lamps to welcome its Lord, its deity, and the arrival of its faith--those very lamps became the great festival of Sanatana Dharma in the form of Deepotsav and Deepawali," he said.
The Chief Minister noted the logistical hurdles in 2017, stating, "When we decided to carry forward that campaign again to keep the spirit of that Deepotsav alive, in 2017, we did not have sufficient lamps available here to light them. For that, we had collected lamps from across the state, and only then were we able to light 1.71 lakh lamps. Today, millions of lamps are lit in Ayodhya Dham."
CM Yogi underscored the symbolic importance of the lamps, describing them as representations of triumph over adversity.
"These lamps are not just lamps; these lamps are also symbols of the victory of faith over 500 years of darkness. These lamps are symbolic representations of the kind of humiliation we had to endure during those 500 years and the kinds of struggles our ancestors had to fight. Back then, Lord Shri Ram resided in a tent, and now, as the ninth edition of Deepotsav is being celebrated, Lord Ram resides in his grand and divine temple," he remarked.
He further emphasised the enduring power of truth, stating, "Every lamp reminds us that truth can be troubled but cannot be defeated. It is the destiny of truth to be victorious, and with that destiny of victory, Sanatana Dharma has continuously struggled for 500 years. As a result of those struggles, a grand and divine temple has been constructed in Ayodhya."
The Deepotsav festivities are scheduled to begin at 5 PM and will continue till 8 PM. A grand aarti ceremony, featuring 2,100 performers, is expected to set a new world record. Following the lighting of lamps, there will be a light and sound show, culminating in a fireworks display.
This year, a record 26,11,101 earthen lamps are set to illuminate Ram Ki Paidi and 56 ghats, creating a divine spectacle that aims to showcase Ayodhya's spiritual heritage on a global platform.