Speaking in Lucknow at the launch of the birth centenary year celebrations of former Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal, Adityanath invoked Kalnemi, a demon from the Ramayana who attempts to deceive Hanuman. He said those he called “Bajrangis”, or devotees of Hanuman, should guard against “Babri bhakts” and prevent what he described as efforts to insult the temple movement.
“Those who opposed the Ram temple and fired bullets on Ram bhakts are now trying to project themselves as Ram bhakts,” Adityanath said, describing that shift as an “ideological victory” for the VHP. He added that “Kalnemi” would seek to infiltrate work associated with Ram and urged supporters not to allow such attempts to succeed.
The chief minister’s remarks were directed primarily at political opponents, including the Congress and Samajwadi Party. He accused the parties of opposing the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign and said their leaders had stayed away from major ceremonies connected with the temple in Ayodhya despite invitations.
Adityanath said Congress and Samajwadi Party representatives did not attend the foundation-stone ceremony or the consecration of Ram Lalla because of electoral considerations. His comments framed their absence as evidence of political calculations over their support bases, an allegation directed at the opposition parties during a commemorative programme rather than a government announcement.
The event at CMS in Gomti Nagar Extension marked the opening of celebrations for Singhal’s birth centenary, covering 1926 to 2026. A documentary on Singhal’s life was screened, while VHP office-bearers and religious figures attended the programme.
In the Ramayana episode cited by Adityanath, Kalnemi is sent to obstruct Hanuman while he is travelling to obtain the life-saving Sanjeevani herb for Lakshmana during a critical mission. Kalnemi disguises himself as an ascetic and tries to deceive Hanuman. Adityanath used the reference as a political metaphor for people he said could appear sympathetic to the temple cause while seeking to weaken it from within.
Adityanath credited Singhal with providing leadership to the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation and mobilising supporters during its most confrontational phase. He recalled the police firing on kar sevaks in Ayodhya on November 2, 1990, when Uttar Pradesh was governed by Mulayam Singh Yadav, and portrayed Singhal as having remained at the forefront of the campaign despite the violence.
He said Singhal had brought together religious leaders, activists, legal experts, archaeologists and others around the temple campaign. Referring to the legal dispute over the Ayodhya site, Adityanath said the movement’s representatives had relied on evidence and expertise, while accusing Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Left of advancing false claims. The Supreme Court settled the title dispute in November 2019, clearing the way for construction of the temple while directing that five acres be allotted for a mosque at an alternative site.
The chief minister also linked Singhal’s legacy to a broader campaign around cultural and religious identity. He said the movement initiated by Singhal was not confined to Ram Janmabhoomi and called for supporters to remain united in pursuing what he described as the restoration of national pride.
Adityanath also used the occasion to contrast present-day Ayodhya with the city during earlier governments, highlighting infrastructure and solar-energy projects undertaken there. He said Ayodhya had moved from what he described as neglect and darkness to becoming a major centre of development and religious tourism.
His speech included criticism of calls to declare the cow the national animal. Adityanath argued that such a designation was unnecessary because the cow already occupies a revered place in Hindu belief, describing it as a mother rather than merely an animal.
