On the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami 2026, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta issued a sharp, faith-forward call to action — urging citizens to walk the path of Lord Ram, root out evil from their surroundings, and illuminate India's future. The post landed on the evening of Tuesday, 20 October 2026, riding the festive wave that sweeps the country every year on the tenth day of Navratri.

In her post on X, CM Gupta wrote: 'Aaj ka din yahi sankalp lene ka hai ki hum sab Prabhu Shri Ram ke mahan aadarshon par chalein' — 'Today is the day to resolve that we all walk on the great ideals of Lord Shri Ram, imbibe them in our lives, and eliminate every evil visible around us.' She went further, urging followers to contribute to the nation's progress, 'teach a lesson to traitors', and brighten India's future — signing off with a resounding 'Jai Shri Ram! Jai-Jai Shri Ram!'

Vijayadashami: the festival behind the resolve

Vijayadashami, also widely known as Dussehra, marks the triumph of Lord Ram over the demon king Ravana — a mythological moment enshrined in the Ramayana and observed across India with the burning of towering effigies of Ravana, Meghnath, and Kumbhkaran. The symbolism is ancient and deliberate: good vanquishes evil, dharma outlasts adharma. For millions of Hindu devotees, the day is less a holiday than a yearly reminder of moral accountability.

BJP's cultural-nationalist messaging and the Ram template

Gupta's message fits a well-established communications pattern. Since the 2010s, BJP leaders have consistently woven Lord Ram's ideals — discipline, righteousness, service to the nation — into festive greetings, framing cultural reverence and political purpose as a single continuum. The reference to 'traitors' (deshdrohiyon) adds a sharper political edge to what is otherwise a devotional message, a rhetorical move that has become a recognisable feature of the party's festive-season communication.

The festive season of 2026 is expected to see similar messaging from BJP leaders across the country, as the party leans into cultural nationalism during a politically sensitive period. How opposition parties and civil society receive this particular framing — spiritual resolve married to a pointed warning against perceived anti-nationals — will be worth watching in the days ahead.

On the day that celebrates the defeat of Ravana, the real contest, it seems, is always over who gets to define what evil looks like — and who is empowered to vanquish it.