Lucknow, Sept. 28 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said despite an invitation, Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders did not attend the foundation laying and consecration ceremonies of the Ram temple because they saw vote-bank and feared their skull caps would fall off. He was addressing a gathering at the launch of the birth centenary year (1926-2026) celebrations of former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international president Ashok Singhal at CMS, Gomti Nagar Extension. A documentary on Singhal's life was also screened on the occasion. Singhal dedicated his life for Ram Janmabhoomi, Adityanath added. "The flame he ignited was not just for Ram Janmabhoomi but for re-consecration of every national pride point. We have to work unitedly to end every symbol of slavery," the chief minister said. Accusing "Ram-drohis" (those who betrayed Ram) of leaving no stone unturned to defame Ayodhya, he said, "Those who opposed Ram temple and fired bullets on Ram bhakts are now trying to project themselves as Ram bhakts. This is the ideological victory of VHP. Bajrangis should be alert, Kalanemi (a demon) will infiltrate Ram's work. Babur's devotees will try to insult you, but Bajrangbali's devotees should not let their conspiracy succeed." He said when the Ram Janmabhoomi case reached court, Ashok Singhal's team had advocates, archaeologists, subject experts with facts and evidence, while on the other side, the Congress, Samajwadi Party and the Left had baseless rantings and false facts. "They conspired that the verdict should not come in favour of the Ram temple. The Congress had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court that Ram-Krishna had no existence. Those who insulted the Hindu society are now asking us questions about Ayodhya," he said. Recalling Singhal, Adityanath said, "He dedicated his life to the nation and Sanatan dharma. In 1528, a foreign invader demolished Lord Ram's temple and created a structure of slavery, he said. "For 500 years, Hindu society, dharmacharyas, seers, Nagas, Sikh warriors, youth, women and kings did not sit silent. Everyone kept fighting for the liberation of Ram Janmabhoomi. They kept sacrificing for it," he said. He said there were dozens of villages in the Awadh region where people did not wear slippers and 'safa' for 500 years. "...everyone could have taken it back fighting, but there was a lack of (someone) bringing them on one platform. Singhal filled this leadership gap," Yogi said. In 1982, Singhal got responsibility for the VHP and in 1983, the Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yagna Samiti was formed; his sole pledge was: "jab tak Ram ka kaam nahi, tab tak vishram nahi" (no rest till Ram's work is done), Adityanath said, adding that Singhal succeeded in bringing seers on one platform. The chief minister said on November 2, 1990, when the then 'Ram-drohi' government got a lathi-charge and firing done on devotees singing Ramdhun, Ashok Singhal stood with his chest out. Saffron gamchha and roar of the youth used to delight him, Adityanath said. "The satisfaction is we participated in the Ram temple movement under the guidance of Ashokji. His dream is now visible as a grand Ram temple," he said. "Ayodhya faced insult and neglect for 500 years...When the government was formed in 2017, the then Jal Shakti minister Mahendra Singh made Ram Ki Paidi like Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar. Now more than five lakh devotees can bathe together," he said. "Ayodhya, which once lived in darkness, has now become a solar city," the chief minister added. On cow protection, the chief minister said earlier 'Gomata' used to be slaughtered in illegal slaughterhouses in UP but these were closed in 2017. The strictest law was enacted, and more than 7700 gaushalas were built, he added. "We are protecting 16 lakh cows here. We give Rs 1500 per month for protection of each cow," he said. Those present on the occasion included VHP central organisation general secretary Milind Parande, RSS prant pracharak Kaushal, Sant Shrikrishna Shah Vidyarthi, Ravindra Kirti Swami, Bhante Sheelratna, Sardar Nirmal Singh, Mahant Avdhesh Das, Mahant Dharmendra Das, Mahant Divya Giri, VHP prant president Kanhaiya Lal Agarwal, kshetra organisation secretary Gajendra, UP cabinet minister Swatantra Dev Singh, MLC Mahendra Singh and CMS founder Bharti Gandhi....