Yogi Adityanath may announce Ram statue during grand Ayodhya Diwali celebrations

Lucknow, Nov 6: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend a mega Diwali celebration in Ayodhya on Tuesday and is likely to announce a grand 151 metre tall statue of Lord Ram as a gift to the people living in the holy city.

The grand ceremony called 'Deepotsav' which will be celebrated on Tuesday during 'choti Diwali' has important international and national figures attending. South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook will be presiding as the chief guest. CM Yogi Adityanath and his cabinet will be present at the ceremony. Other dignitaries attending the event include UP Governor Ram Naik and Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon.

Adityanath, while reacting to the Supreme Court's decision to postpone the Ram Janmabhoomi hearind, had said he would give his people a Diwali gift on November 6 at Ayodhya.

Ever since the BJP government came to power in Uttar Pradesh, it has celebrated Deepotsav in a grand manner. Deepotsav is the occasion where Rama and Sita over King Ravana in Lanka.

Last year, 1.87 lakh diyas were lit in Ayodhya. However, this year 3 lakh diyas are expected to be lit and a Guinness Book of World Records official will be present for the occasion. South Korea's First Lady Kim Jung-sook will also be present at the event.

Her presence is not without purpose. History has it that Queen Ho of South Korea had its root in Ayodhya. The UP government is building a memorial in Ayodhya, foundation for which will be laid on Tuesday, to recall her Ayodhya connect.

Many believe, the erstwhile torch-bearer of Hindutva and now the CM, Yogi Adityanath might announce something around Ram Temple dispute. However, political pundits believe this looks to be a distant reality as state government has not much say in the dispute with the land housing the disputed site is in Centre's control and the matter is subjudice in Supreme Court.

Just a couple of days after Yogi promised a Diwali gift announcement, letters and news around a tall or may be the tallest statue of Lord Rama at Ayodhya had been circulated.