The Chamber of Trade and Industry and Ramlila Mahasangh condemned remarks by MPs Kirti Azad and Imran Masood concerning Lord Ram and Diwali. They demanded apologies, sought party clarifications and urged political leaders to respect religious sentiments and traditions
Published Date – 12 November 2026, 10:50 AM
New Delhi: The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) and the Ramlila Mahasangh on Thursday condemned Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad’s remarks concerning Lord Shri Ram and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as well as Congress MP Imran Masood’s description of Diwali as a ‘man-made disease.’
The organisations have demanded apologies from both MPs, stating that their remarks have hurt the religious sentiments of millions of people and caused widespread resentment among traders and members of the public.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said Kirti Azad had reportedly stated in the media that he would never visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya because Lord Ram had abandoned Sita despite her undergoing the Agni Pariksha. Goyal said the statement had hurt the sentiments of millions of devotees. CTI has also written to Trinamool Congress President Mamata Banerjee, urging her to ask Azad to withdraw his remarks and express regret.
The organisation has also sought clarification from the party on whether the MP’s statement reflects its official position. “Everyone has the right to express their faith, but no one has the right to disrespect the faith of others. Lord Ram is a symbol of dignity, sacrifice and duty. Maa Sita is equally revered. It is wrong to play politics by pitting Ram and Sita against each other. We want dialogue, not conflict,” Goyal said.
CTI said Ayodhya has evolved into not only a major centre of religious faith but also one of the country’s largest hubs of the spiritual economy.
Highlighting the economic transformation of the temple town, the organisation said the annual number of visitors, which stood at approximately 1.7 million before the construction of the Ram Temple, increased to 164 million in 2024 and nearly 200 million in 2025.
According to CTI, the number of hotel rooms has risen from around 3,500-4,000 to more than 5,000, while over 50 major hotel projects are currently under construction. The number of homestays, which was previously negligible, has increased to 1,136. Similarly, the number of restaurants has grown from approximately 200 to nearly 2,000, while the number of rickshaws and e-rickshaws has increased from 500 to around 17,000.
The organisation further stated that the daily earnings of shopkeepers have increased from Rs 400-500 to approximately Rs 2,500. More than 1.2 lakh new jobs and over 6,000 new micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have also been created. CTI added that investments worth Rs 85,000 crore are being made under Ayodhya’s Master Plan 2031.
The organisation said traders in Ayodhya were deeply upset by the remarks and had contacted CTI to express their displeasure. It said the city’s economy was closely linked to religious tourism and faith, adding that any remarks hurting religious sentiments could adversely affect the livelihoods of small traders, homestay owners, hotel employees, rickshaw pullers, potters, and sellers of flowers and prasad.
CTI has put forward three demands: Kirti Azad should apologise for his remarks on Lord Ram; Mamata Banerjee should clarify whether the statement represents the official position of the Trinamool Congress; and political leaders across parties should refrain from making such remarks about religious deities and festivals.
Ramlila Mahasangh President Arjun Kumar also expressed strong displeasure over the statements made by Kirti Azad and Imran Masood. He announced that neither of the MPs would be invited to or allowed entry into any Ramlila event in Delhi or elsewhere in the country. Kumar said thousands of Ramlila events are organised across Delhi and different parts of the country every year, involving thousands of artists and organisers.
He added that such remarks hurt the sentiments of millions of people associated with these cultural and religious celebrations. Goyal also criticised Congress MP Imran Masood for describing Diwali, one of the biggest festivals of the Sanatan faith, as a ‘man-made disease’. He said the remark had triggered widespread resentment among members of the public and the business community, particularly because Diwali holds immense religious, cultural and economic significance.
Goyal urged senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take cognisance of the matter and either seek Masood’s dismissal from the party or ask him to apologise to the nation. CTI said insulting Ayodhya, Diwali and Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram was unacceptable and called upon political leaders to exercise restraint while making statements concerning religious beliefs and festivals.
