Light 'Shri Ram Jyoti' at home on Jan 22 to celebrate Deepawali: PM Modi to people

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the whole world is waiting for the historic Ram temple consecration ceremony here on January 22, stressing the strength of ”vikas” (development) and ”virasat” (heritage) will take the country forward.

He appealed to people to light special diyas — Shri Ram Jyoti — in their homes to celebrate the day of ‘pran pratishtha’ at Ram temple as ‘Deepawali’. There was a time Lord Ram was ”living under a tent”, but now he will get a concrete house like the four crore poor who got pucca houses, he said.

The PM was addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a renovated railway station and an airport in the city. He said the strength of ”vikas” (development) and ”virasat” (heritage) will take the country forward.

While everyone is eager to visit Ayodhya on January 22 only those who have been invited should come on the day and others can follow later on, the prime minister said.

”It is my ‘karbaddh prarthana’ (prayer with folded hands) because everyone wishes that they (people) themselves should come to Ayodhya to witness the event of January 22, but you also know that it is not possible for everyone,” he said. Speaking after inaugurating and laying foundation of a slew of projects, he said, ”There was a time when Ram Lalla was living under a tent right here in Ayodhya. Today not only ‘Ram Lalla’ has got a pucca house, but four crore poor people of the country have also got a pucca house.” The prime minister said the entire world is eagerly waiting for the historic moment on January 22. ”Hence, over-enthusiasm (‘atee-utsaah’) among the residents of Ayodhya is quite natural. I am a worshipper of every particle of the soil of India and of every person of India. And, I am also eager like you,” Modi said.

He also appealed to the people of the city to take a pledge to make Ayodhya the cleanest city of India. ”This is the responsibility of the residents of Ayodhya.” ”We have to make a new resolution for the country, fill ourselves with new energy. For this, all of you should light Shri Ram Jyoti in your homes on January 22 and celebrate Deepawali. Now people from all over the country and the world will come to Ayodhya every day and this will continue till eternity (‘anant kaal’).

He also requested people to launch a cleanliness drive at all religious sites and temples across the country from January 14-22. The prime minister said if any country has to reach new heights of development, it will have to preserve its heritage.

It is for this reason that India today is moving ahead by taking along the ancient with the new, he said. ”The joint strength of development (‘vikas’) and heritage (‘virasat’) will take Bharat ahead in the 21st century.” Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were present on the occasion.

Paying tributes to Maharshi Valmiki, after whom the newly built Ayodhya airport is named, Modi said, ”The Ramayana written by Maharshi Valmiki is the knowledge path that leads us to Prabhu Shri Ram.” ”In modern India, Maharshi Valmiki International Airport (in) Ayodhya Dhaam will link us to the ‘divya’ (divine), ‘bhavya’ (grand) and ‘navya’ (new) Ram Mandir.” On the trains that he flagged off earlier in the day, Modi said the ”trishakti” of Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat and Amrit Bharat is going to rejuvenate the railways.

Remembering Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Modi said, ”On this day in 1943, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose hoisted the flag in Andaman and proclaimed the independence of India. On such an auspicious day associated with the freedom movement, we are taking forward the resolve of ‘aazadi ke amrit kaal’.” Modi also said the Ujjwala Yojana has transformed the lives of crores of mothers and sisters.

Only 14 crore gas connections were given in five decades, but his government gave 18 crore, including 10 crore free of cost under the Ujjawala scheme, in a decade, he said.