Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that shared faith and culture bring society together, while caste divisions create social barriers. Citing the Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya as an example of social harmony, he said the festival had become an occasion for people from different sections of society to participate together.
In a post on the social media platform X, the Chief Minister wrote: "The rigidity of caste divides society, while shared faith and culture bind it together. Deepotsav in Shri Ayodhya Ji is a living example of this social unity."
Adityanath said governments before 2017 had made caste divisions the basis of politics and neglected the cultural forces that could unite society. He said the state government changed this approach by launching Deepotsav in 2017 and turning Ayodhya's cultural heritage into a public celebration.
Participation beyond caste
The Chief Minister said religious leaders, students, sanitation workers, potters and traders now participate in the festival with equal enthusiasm and devotion under the guidance of saints and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said the event demonstrated how people from different backgrounds could come together through a shared cultural and religious occasion.
"Here, identity is defined not by caste but by participation," Adityanath wrote, adding that diyas lit by different people spread light that brings society together.
Message of social harmony
{{/usCountry}}"Here, identity is defined not by caste but by participation," Adityanath wrote, adding that diyas lit by different people spread light that brings society together.
Message of social harmony
{{/usCountry}}The Chief Minister said the festival's message was rooted in the idea of a harmonious society, where participation and shared traditions take precedence over caste identities.
He described Ayodhya's Deepotsav as an example of how cultural heritage could serve as a common platform for social participation and unity.
The state government began organising Deepotsav in 2017 as part of its efforts to promote Ayodhya's cultural heritage, according to the Chief Minister.