Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Saturday, 7 November 2026 offered prayers at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and addressed the annual Deepotsav celebrations, calling Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath the 'Hindu Hriday Samrat' (Emperor of Hindu Hearts) and crediting both Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with transforming the Ram Temple into a symbol of Hindu self-respect. Radhakrishnan was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Swami Govind Dev Giri.

Key Remarks at Deepotsav

Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President said the life of Lord Ram teaches that 'true greatness lies not in power or position, but in strength of character and unwavering dedication to one's duties.' He went on to draw a pointed parallel between the epic's protagonist and India's current leadership. 'Today, two Yogis in the country are following the character and conduct of Lord Ram, one being Karmayogi Narendra Modi and the other Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,' Radhakrishnan said. He also described present-day Ayodhya as a living example of the vision of 'heritage as well as development.'

A Personal Connection to the Ram Temple Movement

In an emotional recollection, the Vice-President shared that his mother had participated in the Ram Temple movement decades ago. He recalled that when Vishva Hindu Parishad leader late Ashok Singhal had called for 'Ramshila' worship, his mother carried a brick on her head for the temple's construction and led the worship ceremony. 'At that time, my mother could never have imagined that her son, coming from distant Rameswaram in the South, would one day become the Vice-President of India and experience the pride of being part of this ceremony at the Ram Janmabhoomi,' Radhakrishnan said. Asserting that the temple's consecration had fulfilled centuries-old aspirations, he posed: 'If a Ram Temple could not be built at Ram Janmabhoomi, then where else could it be built?'

Praise for Uttar Pradesh's Governance Record

Radhakrishnan credited Chief Minister Adityanath with a significant improvement in the state's law-and-order situation, recalling that on earlier visits he 'did not feel safe.' 'Earlier, law and order seemed to be in the hands of criminals rather than the police. Today, however, every citizen feels secure,' he said. He also noted that Uttar Pradesh now contributes nine per cent to India's GDP, and pointed to the 2025 Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj — where millions of devotees gathered without 'a single untoward incident' — as evidence of the state's safety and administrative model.

Recalling a Parliamentary Bond with Yogi Adityanath

The Vice-President also shared a personal memory of his time with Adityanath in Parliament, when the current Chief Minister was a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP. 'Our Hindu Hriday Samrat, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, used to be my colleague in Parliament. He was very young then, and I clearly remember that his speeches carried the same energy and force that they do today,' Radhakrishnan said.

The Deepotsav Spectacle

The cultural highlight of the evening was a symbolic reenactment of the arrival of Lord Ram, his brother Lakshman, and Goddess Sita in Ayodhya aboard the 'Pushpak Viman', referencing the Ramayana. This theatrical centrepiece has been a defining feature of the Deepotsav event, now in its 2026 edition, reinforcing Ayodhya's standing as a major religious and cultural destination. The city has been undergoing significant infrastructure development since the Ram Temple's consecration.