Lucknow, Oct. 20 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday slammed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for his remarks on Diwali the Uttar Pradesh government's spending on diyas and candles, while chief minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the Opposition for skipping the "Deepotsav" celebrations in Ayodhya. In an apparent reference to the state government's Diwali expenses, Yadav said on Saturday that a lesson should be learned from cities abroad where entire urban areas remain illuminated for months during Christmas. "In the world, at the time of Christmas, the entire city is illuminated, and it remains illuminated for months. Just learn from them," he said. "Why are there repeated expenses on lamps and candles?...such governments should be removed. We will do a very beautiful illumination," Yadav told reporters while responding to a question on Deepotsav celebrations. While inaugurating "Deepotsav" in Ayodhya on Sunday, CM Adiyanath hit out at both the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for their stance on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He also slammed the opposition for "rejecting" the invitation for the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir in January 2024. "During the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in this very Ayodhya, Congress said Ram is a myth, while the Samajwadi Party fired bullets at Ram devotees today, Uttar Pradesh does not have to face an identity crisis. We are now lighting lamps where bullets were once fired," he said. Hitting out at Yadav for his remarks, deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya , said, "SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, you are requested to stop insulting the Hindu faith for the sake of appeasement and vote bank politics. In Indian culture, lighting lamps is a centuries-old tradition, symbolising light, harmony, faith, and devotion..."....