Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in Vijaya Dashami celebrations at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on October 20, 2026, delivering a speech focused on cultural and spiritual themes. The address emphasized the festival's significance as celebrating the victory of good over evil and described it as "the life energy of India" rather than merely a festival. Modi highlighted Lord Ram's ideals as incomparable in human history, referencing his adherence to truth during both coronation and exile periods.
The speech detailed the concept of Ramrajya as a benchmark for non-discriminatory governance where everyone receives justice and equal opportunity. Modi urged administration officials to follow these ideals by treating the public as divine under the mantra of Nagrik Devo Bhava, emphasizing that "service of the poor and the deprived" must be kept paramount.
Regarding cultural preservation, the government has repatriated over 650 ancient idols over the past 12 years as part of efforts to preserve India's identity. The speech noted growing global recognition of India's cultural centers, including numerous domestic sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list and the inscription of Deepavali on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list last year.
Modi called for national unity, invoking the Vedic mantra "Samano Mantrah Samitih Samani" to urge all national institutions and political parties to unite in national interest. He specifically called for identifying and defeating forces that harm national honor, divide society, and harbor hatred toward Indian culture. The speech concluded with references to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya temple and expressed confidence in realizing the vision of 'Ram Se Rashtra' and 'Dev Se Desh'.