Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, declared on Thursday that "Sanatan Dharma is the national religion of India" and demanded respect from all citizens. According to the chief minister, a restoration campaign should be launched for any holy sites that have been demolished or desecrated in the past along the lines of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"Sanatan Dharma is India's 'Rashtriya Dharma'. When we rise above selfishness, we connect to 'Rashtriya Dharma'.Our country is secure when we connect to the national religion," the chief minister said.

He presided at a programme over the restoration and consecration of the idol programme at Neelkanth Mahadev Temple located in Bhinmal, Rajasthan.

"If our religious places have been desecrated during any period, then a campaign for their restoration must be launched on the lines of Ayodhya where the construction of a grand temple of Lord Rama is going on after 500 years with the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All of you devotees contributed to the construction of this grand national temple of Lord Rama, representing national sentiment," the firebrand BJP leader said.

Yogi Adityanath and Union Water Power Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat planted Rudraksha during this ceremony.

He claimed that Prime Minister Modi had gotten every citizen to promise to uphold and honour their cultural heritage. He noted that the lavish repair of Lord Neelkanth's temple after 1400 years is an illustration of respect for the preservation of heritage.

Congress was quick to hit back at the BJP leader over his remarks. Chairman of Unorganized Workers and Employees Congress (KKC) Udit Raj tweeted, "CM Yogi said Sanatan Dharma is the national religion of India. This means other religions such as Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are finished." (sic)

In a unanimous decision on the Ayodhya issue in November 2019, a five-judge Supreme Court panel allocated all 2.77 acres of contested land for a temple. In addition, the court requested that the government set aside five acres for a mosque. On August 5, 2020, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the cornerstone for a Ram temple. Amit Shah, the union's minister of the interior, has declared that the Ram temple would be prepared for dedication on January 1st, 2024.