Ayodhya (Gurpreet Singh): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said political leaders who had fired on Ram devotees and subjected saints to lathicharge should visit Ayodhya’s Ram temple only after apologising for their actions.
His remarks came hours after the announcement that Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav would visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya on December 12. Although Adityanath did not name Yadav or the Samajwadi Party, his comments appeared to target the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and previous governments over their handling of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Addressing the 10th edition of Deepotsav in Ayodhya, Adityanath said those who had neglected the holy city and insulted its devotees and saints should seek forgiveness.
“Let them apologise once to Ram devotees and once to the saints. Let them repent for their actions,” he said.
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and other dignitaries were present at the event.
Yogi Adityanath Targets Previous Governments Over Ram Janmabhoomi Movement
Adityanath referred to the firing on kar sevaks during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and accused earlier governments of neglecting Ayodhya.
He said there was a time when chanting Lord Ram’s name in the city invited lathis and bullets. According to the Chief Minister, Ayodhya had been pushed into neglect despite its religious significance.
Taking another apparent swipe at Opposition leaders, he criticised the conduct of some political figures at religious discourses.
Adityanath questioned whether certain leaders understood the decorum of a katha, comparing their conduct to that of a mushaira, or Urdu poetry gathering. He said religious gatherings had their own traditions and dignity, which should be respected.
CM Says Ayodhya Is Regaining Its Former Glory
Describing Lord Ram as the embodiment of India’s national consciousness, culture, values and self-respect, Adityanath said Ayodhya was regaining the prominence it had lost over the years.
He recalled the long Ram Janmabhoomi movement and paid tribute to the kar sevaks and saints who campaigned for the temple. He also referred to the contributions of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal and said the movement had culminated in the construction of the Ram temple under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister said devotees, saints, Naga ascetics, Nihang Sikhs and people from different sections of society had continued to stand by the cause despite challenges over several centuries.
Adityanath Calls Ram Janmabhoomi Outcome An Ideological Victory
Adityanath also targeted the Congress without naming the party, referring to the legal battle over the Ram Janmabhoomi site.
He criticised those who, according to him, had assembled lawyers to question the existence of Lord Ram in court proceedings. He described the acceptance of Lord Ram’s existence as an ideological victory.
Emphasising Lord Ram’s message of inclusiveness, Adityanath said Ram accepted everyone, irrespective of social background. However, he added that those approaching with deceptive intentions would not escape his punishment, invoking the mythological figure Maricha.
