Hours before Ayodhya’s massive Deepotsav, a row has erupted with the Samajwadi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at loggerheads over the programme itself. While talking to the media, SP chief Akhilesh YadavAkhilesh Yadav asked why the state government was spending so much money on Diyas while they should be learning how Christmas is celebrated. 

The BJP has now accused the Samajwadi leader of hurting sentiments of Hindus.

What did Akhilesh Yadav say?

During a media interaction, reporters asked Akhilesh Yadav about the ninth edition of Deepotsav in Ayodhya, which is being planned on a larger scale than the previous year. 

Replying to this, he said, “I don’t want to give a suggestion. But I will give one suggestion on the name of Lord Ram. In the entire world, all the cities get illuminated during Christmas. And that goes on for months. We should learn from them.”

Questioning the expenditure being spent on the event, he said, “Why do we have to spend money on diyas, lamps and candles and put so much thought into it? What can we expect from this government; it should be removed. We will make sure that there are more beautiful lights.”

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BJP attacks SP – ‘Sanatan-virodhi ecosystem’

Reacting to the remarks, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said these people kept “Ayodhya in darkness for years”.

“This is the Sanatan-virodhi ecosystem. A party with a history of opposing the Ram Mandir movement, keeping Ayodhya in darkness for years, and even taking pride in attacking Ram Bhakts, is now opposing the city’s decoration for Deepotsav,” he added.

This comes as Ayodhya  gears for the grand celebration set to take place across 56 ghats of the Saryu River. The Uttar Pradesh government is aiming for another Guinness World Record by lighting over 31 lakh Diyas, surpassing last year’s record of 25.12 lakh diyas.

Speaking about the event, Tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh said, “33,000 volunteers will illuminate more than 31 lakh diyas so that the required minimum target — 26.11 lakh diyas — for the Guinness bid is achieved.”

VHP blasts Akhilesh Yada: ‘Messiah of jihadis’

National spokesperson Vinod Bansal took to X to slam Yadav, and said, “Just listen, this former Chief Minister of UP is praising Christmas on the occasion of Diwali. The rows of diyas have burned his heart so much that he is preaching to 1 billion Hindus, saying ‘Don’t waste money on diyas and candles, learn from Christmas.'”

“The so-called messiah of jihadis and conversion gangs, who calls himself a Yadav, seems to love Christians more than Hindus. He glorifies foreign festivals more than indigenous ones,” he added.

He further said, “When Christianity didn’t even exist, Diwali was already being celebrated with rituals and traditions. Now, Hindu society is being told to learn from Christians! On the sacred land of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, illegal religious conversions have flourished under the protection of such leaders who filled their cabinets with criminals and extremists.”