Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav shared a video on X. The video shows people collecting leftover oil from diyas (earthen lamps) after the Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya.
Shot during the 2025 Deepotsav on Sunday, October 19, it captures locals scooping oil from extinguished diyas along the Sarayu River. This highlights the economic challenges behind the city’s grand festivities. Yadav wrote in Hindi, “Sach toh ye drishya hai…wo nazara nahin jinhe dikhakar log chale gaye… Roshni ke baad ka ye andhera acchha nahi.” This translates to, “The truth is these scenes… not the spectacle that people showed and left. This darkness after the light is not good.”
Akhilesh Yadav criticize Ayodhya Deepotsav
His comments were seen as a critique of the state government’s emphasis on grandeur over real issues. This comes especially after the completion of the Ram Mandir and the record-breaking celebration of lighting over 2.6 million diyas this year.
Yadav’s post faced significant backlash from political opponents and supporters of the ruling party. Many accused him of trying to “politicise a religious celebration.” One user criticized him for not sending Diwali greetings to the public and referenced past controversies over the Saifai Mahotsav, calling him hypocritical regarding government spending.
A Recurrent Theme of Post-Festival Reality
These scenes are not new. During the Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya in 2021, a widely-shared video showed children collecting mustard oil from diyas lit with thousands of liters of oil after the festivities ended.
Some netizens shared Yadav’s view, pointing out the irony of large celebrations alongside scenes of poverty. One user remarked, “Karoro rupay barbad karke mila toh andhera hi,” suggesting that despite spending crores of rupees, the festival only resulted in darkness.
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