Claim
Akhilesh Yadav made statements such as 'put a stone anywhere with a red flag and it becomes a temple' and questioned why lamps and candles should be lit on Diwali.
“हां कहीं भी पत्थर रखो लाल झंडा रखो बन गया मंदिर — सही बयान है? ... दीपावली पर दिए मोमबत्ती क्यों जलाए जाए।”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
Both quoted statements were genuinely made by Akhilesh Yadav and widely reported. The 'stone and red flag makes a temple' remark dates to 19 May 2022 during the Gyanvapi survey controversy, and the Diwali remark was made around 18-19 October 2025, when he questioned repeated spending on diyas and candles at Ayodhya's Deepotsav and cited Christmas lighting as a model. The anchor's paraphrases are close to the originals; the minor caveat is that the Diwali remark targeted government expenditure on Deepotsav lighting rather than opposing lighting lamps per se, and the temple remark was made in the specific context of the Gyanvapi shivling claim.
Evidence
- https://www.aajtak.in/india/uttar-pradesh/story/gyanvapi-mosque-survey-case-akhilesh-yadav-comment-shivling-temple-ayodhya-ram-mandir-lclv-1466245-2022-05-19 AajTak (19 May 2022) reports Akhilesh Yadav saying 'कहीं भी पत्थर रख दो, लाल झंडा रख दो, मंदिर बन गया' while commenting on the Gyanvapi survey/shivling controversy. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.tv9hindi.com/state/uttar-pradesh/akhilesh-yadav-says-in-hinduism-placing-a-stone-and-a-red-flag-under-a-peepal-tree-makes-a-temple-au472-1239712.html TV9 confirms the same remark: in Hinduism, placing a stone and red flag under a peepal tree makes a temple. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://hindi.webdunia.com/uttar-pradesh/akhilesh-yadav-diwali-comment-controversy-125101900003_1.html Webdunia (Oct 2025) reports Akhilesh questioning spending on diyas and candles ahead of Ayodhya Deepotsav, urging India to learn from Christmas lighting. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://telanganatoday.com/bjp-slams-akhilesh-yadav-for-calling-diya-lighting-waste-of-money Wire-agency-based report of Akhilesh's remark 'Why do we need to spend money on diyas and candles' and the ensuing BJP backlash. ✓ reachable · archived