Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday, 7 November launched a pointed, veiled attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP) at Ayodhya's Deepotsav 2026, declaring that SP leaders are welcome to seek blessings at the Ram Temple — but only after publicly apologising for the 1990 police firing on karsevaks. The remarks came during the tenth edition of Deepotsav, which was also attended by Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, who lit the inaugural lamp.

The Apology Demand

Speaking directly to the gathering, Adityanath said: 'I have come here today to assure you that those people who neglected us, insulted us, fired bullets at Ram devotees, insulted saints, and cane-charged them — should definitely come to Ayodhya but only after apologising.' He added that the SP should 'repent for their actions,' while noting that Shri Ram is compassionate and will ultimately forgive everyone. The Chief Minister stopped short of naming the SP directly, but the reference to the 1990 incident — which occurred under the then-SP-aligned Mulayam Singh Yadav government — left little ambiguity.

Adityanath alleged that there was once a time when chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' in Ayodhya invited gunfire, and charged that those who had 'bloodstained Ayodhya's streets' are still, in his words, 'unable to control their greed.' Without naming individuals, he also took aim at those who, he said, 'attend religious discourses without understanding their sanctity or decorum and cannot even distinguish between a religious narration and a mushaira.'

Recalling the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement

The Chief Minister paid tribute to the sacrifices of karsevaks, the role of saints, and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement led by the late Ashok Singhal, former president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). He said that after 500 years of struggle, Ram Lalla is now enthroned at his birthplace — something he described as a moment people may have doubted during centuries of foreign rule. Calling it an 'ideological victory,' he noted that those who had 'assembled armies of lawyers in courts to deny the very existence of Lord Ram are now accepting the same.'

He also warned that while Shri Ram embraced all — including forest dwellers, Nishad Raj, and Mata Shabari — anyone arriving in Ayodhya with the intentions of 'Maricha' (the demon from the Ramayana) 'would not escape Lord Ram's arrows.'

Ayodhya's Transformation Under BJP Rule

Adityanath highlighted Ayodhya's infrastructure overhaul, contrasting what he described as its neglected past — including just three hours of electricity a day — with its present status as both a Smart City and a Solar City. He said projects worth nearly ₹40,000 crore have either been completed or are underway under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Key developments cited include the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, the restoration of water flow at Ram Ki Paidi from the Saryu River, and the development of Dharm Path, Bhakti Path, Shri Ram Path, and Janmabhoomi Path.

Deepotsav 2026: A Record Diya Count

On the festival itself, Adityanath noted that Deepotsav began with just 25,000 diyas and has now crossed the 25 lakh (2.5 million) mark in its tenth edition. This year's target, he said, is to illuminate Ayodhya with 30 lakh (3 million) diyas, with Vice President Radhakrishnan lighting the inaugural lamp. The Chief Minister drew a parallel between the illuminated city and the legendary return of Lord Ram from 14 years of exile, saying today's Ayodhya 'evokes memories of the Treta Yuga.'

With assembly elections on the horizon and the Ram Temple remaining a defining political symbol, Adityanath's remarks signal that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intends to keep the 1990 karsevak firing firmly in the political discourse heading into the next electoral cycle.