No 'Manthara' or 'Maricha' will be allowed to cast an evil eye on Ayodhya: CM Yogi Adityanath

Ayodhya: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday extended Diwali greetings to the residents of Ayodhya, particularly the deprived downtrodden sections, of Ayodhya and said that no 'Manthara' or 'Maricha' would be allowed to cast an evil eye upon the holy city, while also calling upon the people to adhere and follow the ideals of Lord Ram.

"We must resolve that, in the times ahead, no 'Manthara' or 'Maricha' shall be permitted to cast an evil eye upon the splendor of our Ayodhya. Any malicious attempt to defame Ayodhya once again or to plunder its glory will not be allowed to succeed," the Chief Minister said.

Addressing the gathering, CM Yogi Adityanath urged them to take a collective resolution to protect Ayodhya's religious identity, dignity and cultural heritage and added that no violence will be tolerated again, referring to infamous firing on 'Ram bhakts', during previous governments.

"Never again will bullets be fired at the devotees of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. No one will be able to use sticks or batons against those who chant 'Jai Shri Ram', nor will there be any restrictions imposed on the 'Panchkosi', '14-kosi', or '84-kosi' circumambulations (parikramas)," he remarked.

The Chief Minister also met many underprivileged families, including the sanitation workers and boatmen, and distributed sweets to many of them.

He visited a slum settlement near Ramghat Halt, to share the festivities on the special occasion and presented gifts to municipal Councillors who did exemplary work.

He remarked that the invaluable contributions made by these individuals toward the success of the 'Deepotsav' and in keeping 'Awadhpuri' (Ayodhya) clean deserve to be recorded in golden letters.

Praising the sanitation workers of Ayodhya, the Chief Minister said, "More than 30 lakh diyas were lit during yesterday's Deepotsav. Hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the country and the world thronged the streets and ghats of Ayodhya until late into the night. Yet, when I stepped out this morning, I was amazed to see that all the ghats and streets were completely clean—there was no trace of litter or disorder."

Acknowledging the contribution of boatmen at the Saryu Ghats, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remarked, "While we were performing the Maha Aarti of the Saryu river, our boatmen were working with great diligence. On every festival, as well as on 'Amavasya' (new moon) and 'Purnima' (full moon), hundreds of thousands of devotees take a holy dip in the Saryu. The significant role played by our boatmen—the Manjhis and Nishads—in ensuring the safety of the devotees and upholding their faith is truly commendable."

During the event, the Chief Minister presented Diwali gifts and sweets to local families from the Nishad and Dalit communities.

He also remarked, "Today's Ayodhya truly brings to mind the Treta Yuga. Future generations will remain grateful to you, knowing that when the 'New Ayodhya' was being built, their ancestors also made an invaluable contribution."

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