Was always ready to lose power for Ram temple: UP CM in Ayodhya
We took forward Deepotsav to ensure that temple town gets identity and recognition it deserves, says Yogi Adityanath
Describing Ayodhya as the base of Sanatan Dharma in India, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said there would have been no problem if he had to lose power for Ram Mandir.
“Ayodhya is not just a city, but a source of inspiration for religion and literature. It is the first ‘Puri’ (holy pilgrimage site) among the ‘Sapta Puri’ (seven such sites). It is the land that inspired Sanatan Dharma,” Yogi added.
Speaking at the Timeless Ayodhya: Literature and Arts Festival in Ayodhya, he also shared the memory of his first visit to Ayodhya as CM.
“There was a huge section in the bureaucracy then that used to say that visiting Ayodhya as a CM would lead to controversy. I said that let a controversy take place if it has to. But we need to think about Ayodhya. Then, there was another section which said that if I visited there, there would be talks about Ram Mandir. I asked if I had come here for power. There is no problem even if I have to lose power for Ram Mandir.”
“Getting Ayodhya its identity and recognition that it deserves was one thing in mind when we took forward the Deeputsav that has now turned into a festival. If there is a conflict, let it happen. But there is need to think about Ayodhya,” said the CM sharing memories from the time he decided to make the Deepotsav a mega event.
“In 2016-17, only 2.34 lakh devotees visited Ayodhya throughout the year, but last year, 16 crore devotees arrived and lakhs of people are still in Ayodhya. People wanted to come but lack of leadership was there. Correct information was not brought forward,” Yogi said.
“We thank PM Modi for connecting Virasat and Vikas as change in leadership in India has changed the thought process,” he added.
Stating that change has come in perspective about Uttar Pradesh, Yogi said: “A decade ago, people from the state used to hide their domicile and today even those not residing in U.P. say they are from U.P. and same is for India.”
“Tradition of reading and writing has been hit hard due to social media. But if we can take forward such festivals, it will be useful for society and literature,” he said.
The CM also shared an anecdote from his visit to Europe, where he had a conversation with a cab driver from Punjab. “Upon asking about his origin, the driver initially hesitated before revealing that he was from Pakistan,” Yogi said.
“When I asked him why he had identified himself as an Indian first, the driver said he felt safer in saying that he was an Indian,” the CM said, adding the cab driver said, “If we say Pakistani, who knows what might happen.”
Reflecting on the compositions of the Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas by Maharishi Valmiki and Sant Tulsidas, he said Ayodhya has long been a centre for literature and culture.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, during his two-day visit to Balrampur, offered prayers at the sacred Maa Pateshwari Shakti Peeth temple in Tulsipur on Friday morning. His visit included an inspection of the preparations for the upcoming Chaitra Navratri Mela.
At the temple, he performed rituals and prayed for the happiness, health and prosperity of Uttar Pradesh. Following the prayers, he visited the temple’s cowshed and fed jaggery to the cows. Yogi also inspected the arrangements within the temple premises to ensure smooth management of religious activities.
