Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the country needs to be united and should not be divided into warring caste camps.
Adityanath said dividing society in the name of caste, region and language was an offence against the nation.
He also expressed concern over growing pollution of rivers, emphasising that the culture surrounding rivers has been destroyed for the sake of selfishness. He cautioned that if life-sustaining rivers cease to exist, there will be a crisis of existence.
The chief minister was addressing the Provincial Teachers’ Dignity Workshop held as part of the All World Gayatri Pariwar’s centenary celebrations at the Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University here. He inaugurated the event by releasing a commemorative souvenir and awarded the top 10 schools from Uttar Pradesh for their performance in the Indian Culture Knowledge Examination.
“A true Indian will not desire an India that is fragmented and fighting along caste lines. Our vision is ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’ (One India, Great India), a vision Prime Minister Modi has urged us all to work towards,” he said.
“During the era of subjugation, while one section of the society was working to unite people, another was trying to divide them. Those who sought to divide opposed the freedom movement and fragmented society. Even today, divisive elements are shattering social unity in the name of region, caste, and language. This constitutes a crime against Mother India and our ancestors; it is a mischievous attempt to jeopardise India’s independence,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“During the era of subjugation, while one section of the society was working to unite people, another was trying to divide them. Those who sought to divide opposed the freedom movement and fragmented society. Even today, divisive elements are shattering social unity in the name of region, caste, and language. This constitutes a crime against Mother India and our ancestors; it is a mischievous attempt to jeopardise India’s independence,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister described teachers as the conscience of society and the architects of the era.
“Teachers have a key responsibility in preventing divisive forces from succeeding,” he said.
“An awakened and value-oriented teacher can play a decisive role in making India a Vishwa Guru by developing not only knowledge among students but also character, a sense of duty and patriotism,” he said.
Mentioning the issue of river pollution, he said, “Rivers play a role similar to that of arteries in the human body. We must save our rivers and ensure they flow freely and remain pristine. One river had dried up decades ago; we obtained images via satellite mapping and initiated excavation work. Upon completion of the work, a stream of water gushed forth during the monsoon. Those who once partook of that river’s water will receive blessings now that the river has been revived.”
Paying tributes to Gayatri Pariwar founder Pandit Shriram Sharma and Mata Bhagwati Devi, Adityanath said the organisation had demonstrated social unity by bringing people together through yajnas.
He said Sharma could have named the organisation after himself but chose to give primacy to an idea.
“Organisations that run in the name of an individual eventually collapse, while an idea travels a long journey,” Adityanath said, adding that the Gayatri Pariwar’s 100 years of work was evidence of this.
Referring to the founding of the Gita Press in 1923, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1925 and the Akhil Vishwa Gayatri Pariwar in 1926, he said their paths were different, but all three contributed to awakening public consciousness and connecting society with traditional values, India and Indianness.
The chief minister remarked that the Gayatri Pariwar is blessed with the guidance of Pranav Pandya and visionary leaders like Chinmay Pandya. Therefore, the organisation must now set its goals for the next 100 years.
Highlighting the Prime Minister’s initiative “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” (A Tree in Mother’s Name), he noted that his government has planted 275 crore saplings in Uttar Pradesh between 2017 and 2026.
“This year, too, we have planted 35 crore (350 million) saplings. Measures have also been taken for their conservation and protection,” he added.
Sarojininagar MLA Rajeshwar Singh welcomed the chief minister to the event. He said this programme, dedicated to the vital role of teachers in education, values, and nation-building, saw participation from teachers across the state.
“Under the steadfast resolutions and leadership of the chief minister, a new era is being built in Uttar Pradesh alongside education, security, and development,” he added.
TOP 10 SCHOOLS IN INDIAN CULTURE KNOWLEDGE EXAM HONOURED
uring the event, the top 10 schools in the Indian Culture Knowledge Exam were honoured. These include Sitapur Inter College and Ashutosh Brij Mohan Lal Memorial College in Sitapur; Chandrashekhar Memorial Public School in Rae Bareli; Lucknow Public School and City Montessori School in Lucknow; Dr. KN Modi Science and Commerce Inter College in Ghaziabad; Shiv Pratap Inter College in Amethi; Amar Singh Inter College in Bulandshahr; Chitrakoot Inter College in Chitrakoot; and MG Public School in Muzaffarnagar.
Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, MLC Dr Mahendra Singh, MLA Rajeshwar Singh, Central Zone In-charge Parmanand Dwivedi, coordinator Ramyash Tiwari, Gayatri Pariwar volunteers, and teachers from across the state were present on this occasion.