Ram temple: Celebrate Diwali on Jan 22 by lighting diyas, BJP chief urges people in HP

Solan/Shimla: BJP chief JP Nadda on Friday urged people in Himachal Pradesh to light five diyas in their houses to celebrate "Diwali" on January 22, the day of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He also told a public gathering in Solan that on June 11, 1989, it was in Himachal Pradesh's Palampur that a national resolution to build the temple was passed.

Nadda, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh, urged people of the state to "light five diyas (earthen lamps) and celebrate the January 22 consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya as Diwali".

"Devbhoomi Himachal Pradesh played a significant role in laying the foundation of the Ram temple as a national resolution to build it was passed in Palampur on June 11, 1989," he said.

The BJP chief also said that a cleanliness drive would be started from January 14 -- Makar Sankranti -- at temples.

During his address, Nadda also exuded confidence that the BJP, which won the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh last year, will again do a "hat-trick" in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in these states under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nadda would also be attending a meeting of the state BJP core group.

Braving the intense cold, several BJP workers gathered at the Mall Road in Solan to welcome Nadda, who, after his arrival, held a roadshow. He was also presented with a 'trishool' (trident) at the end of the roadshow.

State BJP president Rajiv Bindal and leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Jai Ram Thakur, welcomed Nadda on his arrival at Solan.