Ayodhya: In the aftermath of Ayodhya's grand Deepotsav celebrations, a political controversy has erupted, with opposition leaders Akhilesh Yadav and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticizing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a viral video purportedly showing the aftermath of the event. The video, which circulated widely on social media, has ignited a debate about the "reality of inflation and poverty" in Uttar Pradesh.

The annual Deepotsav in Ayodhya, a festival of lights celebrating the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya, saw the city illuminated with a record-breaking display of earthen lamps. This year, the event set two new world records: one for the largest display of oil lamps and another for the most people simultaneously performing "aarti". However, the celebrations have been quickly followed by political sparring.

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) purportedly showing people collecting leftover oil from the earthen lamps along the ghats of Ayodhya after the Deepotsav. Yadav captioned the video in Hindi, stating, "The truth is, these are the scenes… not the sights that people showed and then left". The origin and timing of the video remain unclear.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also shared the video on its official X handle, criticizing the BJP's claims of reducing inflation and alleviating poverty. The party wrote, "These are the scenes from Ayodhya after Deepotsav that were not shown. These scenes reveal the reality of those claims in which the BJP government talks about reducing inflation and lifting millions of families out of poverty".

The BJP has yet to issue an official statement responding directly to the video shared by Yadav and the AAP. However, this is not the first time Akhilesh Yadav has criticized the Deepotsav celebrations. Previously, Yadav questioned the scale of the event, suggesting that the government should "learn from Christians how they celebrate Christmas" instead of spending vast sums on Diwali decorations. These remarks drew sharp condemnation from the BJP, who accused the SP of being "anti-Hindu" and "anti-Sanatan". BJP leaders stated that they do not need lessons from a party that allegedly kept Ayodhya in darkness for years and attacked "Ram Bhakts," referencing the firing on Karsevaks in 1990.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated that Ayodhya was kept in the dark during the SP's rule, further alleging that the SP government had opened fire on devotees of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Another BJP leader, Gaurav Bhatia, questioned how the light of Diwali could appeal to those who celebrate Christmas in October, while adding that Ayodhya is sparkling and the hearts of some people are burning.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) also criticized Yadav, accusing him of glorifying foreign culture. This recent controversy highlights the ongoing political tensions surrounding religious events and the broader socio-economic issues in Uttar Pradesh.