Lucknow, Nov 8 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday extended Diwali greetings to people in Ayodhya, distributed fruits and sweets among sanitation workers, boatmen and underprivileged families, and called for a clean, beautiful, and well-organised city while invoking the ideals of Lord Shri Ram.
During his visit to the holy city on the occasion of Diwali, the Chief Minister also offered prayers at the Ram Temple and sought blessings for the country’s progress, public welfare and prosperity.
Addressing people during the celebrations, CM Yogi urged them to take a collective resolution to protect Ayodhya’s religious identity, dignity and cultural heritage.
“We have to take only one resolution. That resolution has to be that in the coming times, there should be no evil eye on our Ayodhya. Our resolution should be against the loot of Ayodhya’s wealth, defame Ayodhya again; there should not be any evil eye on our Ayodhya,” he said.
The Chief Minister also referred to the city’s past, asserting that restrictions and violence against devotees would no longer be tolerated.
“Now, in Ayodhya, bullets will not be fired on Ram devotees. Now, in Ayodhya, no one can use a stick to say ‘Jai Shri Ram’. Now, in Ayodhya, no one will be able to put a ban on 5-kosi, 14-kosi and 84-kosi circumambulations,” CM Yogi said.
Emphasising the need to maintain Ayodhya’s religious and cultural significance, he said the city should reflect cleanliness, beauty, proper organisation and dignity.
“This should be the symbol of our resolution. Ayodhya should be clean, beautiful, well-organised and dignified. Ayodhya is Lord Ram’s Ayodhya. We have to organise Ayodhya in the same way and move forward,” he added.
Earlier, sharing details of his Diwali celebrations on X, the Chief Minister highlighted the importance of social harmony and a sense of belonging, drawing inspiration from the life of Lord Shri Ram.
“The life of Lord Shri Ram teaches us that a sense of belonging and harmony is what binds society together. The great festival of Diwali is a sacred occasion to share this sense of kinship,” he wrote.
CM Yogi distributed fruits and sweets among sanitation workers responsible for maintaining cleanliness in Shri Ayodhya Dham, boatmen who preserve the tradition associated with the friendship between Lord Shri Ram and Nishadraj, and families residing in the Nishad settlement and Ashok Singhal Ward.
Praising their contribution, he said the dedication and spirit of service of these workers form the foundation of Ayodhya’s cleanliness, beauty and vibrancy.
He also extended Diwali greetings, wishing people happiness, prosperity, goodwill and auspiciousness.
During his visit, the Chief Minister also offered prayers and performed darshan of Ram Lalla at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
In a separate post on X, he described Diwali as a major celebration of Sanatan culture, spiritual heritage and the ideals of Lord Shri Ram.
“Diwali is the sacred festival of the eternal consciousness of Sanatan culture, the ideals of Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram, and the everlasting values of dharma, truth and spiritual heritage,” he wrote.
He added that after offering prayers to Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, he sought blessings for the progress of the nation, the welfare of society and prosperity for all.
–IANS
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