Ayodhya, Nov 7 Vice President C P Radhakrishnan described Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday as “two yogis” who follow the ideals of Lord Ram, saying their leadership helped fulfil the centuries-old aspiration of millions of devotees to see a grand temple in Ayodhya.
He also credited the Ram Temple movement and the sacrifices of devotees for paving the way for Modi to become prime minister, Adityanath chief minister, and himself Vice-President.
Addressing the 10th Deepotsav celebrations here with UP Governor Anandiben Patel and Adityanath on the stage, Radhakrishnan said Modi and Adityanath had worked towards realising the dream of a grand Ram temple, which he described as “a symbol of Hindu self-respect”.
“One is Yogi Adityanath ji, and another is Karmayogi Modi ji. Both are following the path shown by Lord Ram,” he said.
The Vice President expressed confidence that Uttar Pradesh would emerge as a major growth engine of India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047, crediting the state’s improved law and order situation for creating an environment conducive to development.
He said, “After a very long time, a saint (Adityanath) has become the chief minister of a state. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, who comes from a very humble family, has been leading this country very effectively for the past 12 years. I come from an ordinary farming family, yet I became the Vice President of India. How did this happen? It happened only because the Ram temple movement in Ayodhya was launched and countless devotees of Lord Ram sacrificed their lives for it.”
The Vice President shared a personal account of his mother’s participation in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, recalling that she had carried a brick on her head for the construction of the Ram temple.
He said following a nationwide call by Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal, his mother had led the Ram Shila Pujan in their hometown. “She would never have imagined that one day her son would become the Vice President of the country and participate in Ram Katha and the temple ceremony in Ayodhya,” he said.
Radhakrishnan said the temple represented the fulfilment of a wish cherished by millions of Ram devotees for nearly 500 years, and paid tribute to those who had made sacrifices during the movement.
On his association with Adityanath during his tenure in Parliament, he said the latter spoke with the same force and conviction he displayed as chief minister.
Recalling his earlier visits to UP, the Vice President said he had “not felt safe” during those trips and that “people generally did not feel secure at the time”. He said the situation had changed, with “law and order now being handled by the police and administration” rather than “hooligans”.
Radhakrishnan also narrated an interaction with a small trader in Varanasi who, he said, told him he had earlier been involved in petty criminal activities and was known as a rowdy, but had shifted to legitimate business under the current government. The Vice President said the man’s account was significant because it showed how someone previously involved in criminal activities had become a businessman supporting his family.
Linking security with economic progress, Radhakrishnan said UP contributed around nine per cent to India’s GDP and had set its sights on becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy. He also referred to the state’s 2026-27 budget of more than Rs 9 lakh crore.
Citing the Mahakumbh held in Prayagraj in 2025, he said more than 66 crore pilgrims visited the event over 45 days, with no untoward incident reported. He said the successful organisation of such a massive gathering reflected the state’s administrative capacity and improved law and order.
Radhakrishnan said peace and security were essential for development and expressed confidence that UP would play a leading role in India’s progress towards the Viksit Bharat goal.
“I am sure, shriman Yogi ji, that your state will emerge as the major growth engine of India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he said.
(PTI News)
