Union Minister Giriraj Singh has hit out at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, labelling him an “enemy of sanatanis” after Yadav’s controversial comments on the Ayodhya Deepotsav celebrations. Singh criticised Yadav for having a “problem with Diwali but not with Christmas”, following the opposition leader’s questioning of the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government’s expenditure on lighting diyas during the annual festival.
On Saturday, Yadav suggested India could learn from global practices of illuminating cities during Christmas. “I will give one suggestion in the name of Lord Ram. 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.
He further remarked: “What can we expect from this government? It should be removed. We will make sure that there are more beautiful lights.”
#WATCH | Lucknow | SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav says, “… I dont want to give a suggestion. But I will give one suggestion on the name of Lord Ram. In the entire world, all the cities get illuminated during Christmas. And that goes on for months. We should learn from them. Why do we… pic.twitter.com/HAL47migCC
— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2025
BJP leaders swiftly criticised Yadav, arguing that his statements reflect political appeasement at the expense of cultural traditions. Party national spokesperson Sudhansu Trivedi said, “Akhilesh Yadav has become so blinded by the love of votes of fundamentalists that he has now started speaking against his own Yadav community and also wants to snatch away the prosperity of the Prajapati community.”
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also condemned Yadav’s remarks, urging him to “stop insulting the Hindu faith for the sake of appeasement and vote bank politics”. Maurya emphasised the significance of lighting lamps in Indian culture, stating, “In Indian culture, lighting lamps is a centuries-old tradition, symbolising light, harmony, faith, and devotion. You have committed the despicable act of snatching the employment of the Prajapati community, who sell Diwali lamps.”
