LUCKNOW, Aug. 15 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday alleged that attempts were still being made to defame Ayodhya Dham and the broader Sanatan tradition. He emphasised that unity was essential to protecting Sanatan traditions, noting that the country had suffered because people were divided and lacked unity. "Those who oppose Ram, we will confront them till the end and fight them with full strength...this is a long battle. They are not going to stop, and we are not going to stop either," he said addressing a gathering of seers at Digambar Akhara in Ayodhya on the 23rd death anniversary of Paramhans Ramchandra Das. Referring to the controversy surrounding alleged irregularities involving donations at Ayodhya's Ram temple, he said an SIT was formed on the Trust's recommendation and action was taken. "The action should have silenced them. But the anti-Sanatan, anti-Ram people are continuing to vitiate the atmosphere not only in the country but also in the world," he added. Without naming political opponents, the chief minister accused them of opposing the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the past and of now attempting to project themselves as supporters of Lord Ram. "Those who opposed the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, those who opposed the Ram Lalla consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, those who stood against Ram devotees and those who fought the legal battle against the Ram Janmabhoomi cause are today trying to declare themselves Ram devotees," he added. Adityanath questioned the silence of some leaders over atrocities on Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh. "They cry over every incident here, but say nothing about what happens there," he said. The CM spoke at length about the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the transformation of Ayodhya and historical conflicts over religious sites, particularly Sambhal. He recalled the violence in Sambhal and said that after the 2024 clashes, the state government had taken steps to restore peace and remove alleged encroachments. The CM claimed that Sambhal, once associated with communal violence, had now changed. "Today, Sambhal has changed again. There are no riots there now. There is peace," he said. Adityanath recalled the 1976 and 1978 riots in Sambhal in which, he said, 150 people were killed together. He alleged that in 1996, the SP government "withdrew all cases", and "not a single culprit was punished". "There was a lack of the ability to stand together, speak in one voice and move forward together," he said. "History is an inspiration and a lesson," he said, adding that the mistakes of the past should help society avoid repeating them. The chief minister said the seers who participated in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement had done so without personal interest. He emphasised that the completion of the temple had fulfilled the central objective of the movement but cautioned that the struggle over the protection of religious and cultural traditions would continue....