In Ayodhya, Masood Azhar's listing as global terrorist does not sway voters

India's Azhar diplomatic victory is celebrated as 'Diwali' in Faizabad-Ayodhya but celebration leaves large Hindu constituency unmoved

Brijesh Singh, a Faizabad transporter, who claimed to have ‘friends’ across the political spectrum but stayed ‘committed’ to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since he first voted in 1984, organised ‘Diwali’ celebrations in his town (128 kms east of Lucknow) three times, long after the calendar festival was over and done with.

The first was when India reportedly crossed the western border and destructed a terror camp in Pakistan, the second was when Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was released after a 60-hour captivity by Pakistan and the third was when India scored a diplomatic win after China yielded to international pressure