Ayodhya, Nov 3 (Bureau) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that till a few years ago it was a crime to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and talk about Ram Mandir, but the power of democracy is so strong that those who were firing at Ram Bhakts(devotees) 31 years ago, today they are bowing in front of the devotees. Seeing the grand preparations in his address during the fifth Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya, Shri Adityanath said that the devotees of Lord Shri Ram and Lord Krishna will be showered with flowers and not bullets on the next Karseva. He alleged that the earlier governments of Uttar Pradesh used to spend money on the boundaries of ‘kabristan’, but now money is spent on redevelopment and beautification of temples.
He said that Ayodhya should now be known in the world for it’s new cultural identity, and asserted that no power in the world can stop the completion of a grand temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya by 2023. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh said that the Deepotsav program in Ayodhya is scaling new heights every year. He said that the construction of a grand Ram temple will boost tourism opportunities here and the Government of Uttar Pradesh and Government of India are working in this direction. On this occasion, he announced to continue the Pradhan Mantri Anna Yojana for the poor population of Uttar Pradesh during the Corona period till Holi next year. Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, who was present on the occasion, said that by lighting 12 lakh diyas, Deepmala is lighting the whole world, this is not just a world record, but a message of the dignity of Lord Rama to the whole world.
He said that by 2030, Ayodhya will be the world’s largest religious tourism city. The government estimates that after 10 years, the number of tourists visiting Ayodhya will be 50 million annually. Sri Reddy said that when Lord Shri Ram returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, a Deepotsav was organized to welcome him. Just as there was a Deepotsav in Ayodhya to welcome Lord Ram on that day, today the Uttar Pradesh government has re-lighted Ayodhya. Ahead of the Deepotsav program, Shri Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 50 projects worth Rs 661 crores in Ayodhya. It is noteworthy that every year since 2017 a grand Deepotsav program is being organized in Ayodhya on the eve of Diwali. This year 9 lakh diyas were lit in 32 ghats of Rampadi and 3 lakh in the rest of Ayodhya. A team of Guinness Book of World Records also reached Ayodhya to witness the event. 500 drone cameras have been installed for the Diwali celebrations. During this, the aerial drone show was organized for the first time, making it grand and the center of attraction. Ambassadors of Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam and Kenya were also present to witness the ceremony. During the Deepotsav celebrations, Shri Adityanath crowned the artists playing the characters of Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita.