BJP Labels Akhilesh Yadav “Enemy Of Sanatanis” Over Diwali Remarks

A political storm erupted on October 20, 2025, as Union Minister Giriraj Singh labelled Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav an "enemy of Sanatanis and Hindus" for questioning the Uttar Pradesh government's expenditure on Ayodhya’s Deepotsav festival. The annual event, held on October 19, saw Ayodhya set two Guinness World Records by lighting 2.617 million diyas and hosting 2,128 simultaneous aarti performers along the Saryu River. Launched in 2017 under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deepotsav has grown into a global symbol of Hindu cultural pride, especially after the 2024 Ram Temple inauguration. Yadav’s remarks, made during a press conference in Lucknow on October 18, sparked a fierce backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused him of disrespecting Diwali traditions for political gain ahead of the 2027 state elections.

Yadav criticised the state’s spending on diyas and candles, suggesting it emulate the prolonged, city-wide illuminations of global Christmas celebrations. “Across the world, all cities get illuminated during Christmas, and that goes on for months. We should learn from them. Why do we have to spend money on lamps and candles and put so much thought into it?” he said, promising “more beautiful lights” under an SP government. The comments, intended as a call for fiscal efficiency, were interpreted by the BJP as an affront to Hindu traditions. Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has been a BJP stronghold since 2017, with Ayodhya’s transformation into a tourism hub boosting its economy by billions. The BJP leveraged Yadav’s statement to portray the SP as out of touch with the state’s Hindu majority, reviving memories of the SP’s 2012-2017 rule, marked by tensions over the Ram Temple movement.

Singh led the charge, declaring, “He is an enemy of Sanatanis and Hindus. He has a problem with Diwali but not with Christmas.” BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi accused Yadav of betraying his own Yadav community and the Prajapati artisans who craft diyas, claiming his “love for fundamentalist votes” fuelled anti-Hindu rhetoric. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya condemned Yadav for “insulting the Hindu faith for appeasement,” noting that diya-making sustains thousands of livelihoods. Maurya emphasised Diwali’s centuries-old symbolism of light and harmony, accusing Yadav of undermining the Prajapati community’s economic contributions. Chief Minister Adityanath, speaking at Deepotsav, contrasted the BJP’s lamp-lit celebrations with the SP’s alleged neglect of Ayodhya, referencing 1990 clashes under SP rule.

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The controversy, unfolding during Diwali’s festive peak, has amplified political divides in Uttar Pradesh, where cultural symbolism often shapes electoral battles. The BJP’s aggressive response, amplified by social media campaigns like #DeepotsavPride, aims to cement its image as the defender of Sanatan Dharma. Yadav’s SP, part of the opposition INDIA bloc, risks alienating voters in a state where faith and caste dynamics are pivotal. As Ayodhya’s diyas glow, the debate underscores a broader tension between tradition and modernity, with both sides digging in. Political observers warn that such polarising rhetoric could deepen communal fault lines, making dialogue elusive as the festival of lights illuminates deeper ideological shadows.

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