E-Paper
Holi celebrations: Yogi says lawlessness shouldn’t be allowed to creep into festivities
BJP’s Uttar Pradesh assembly poll win a vote for nationalism and good governance, says Yogi Adityanath in Gorakhpur; he also meets RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday urged people playing colours to respect the sentiments of those who don’t celebrate Holi with gusto due to reasons ranging from ideological to medical. This the second time in three days that he made this point.
“Our faith and the grand traditions of our festivals have to be maintained but lawlessness shouldn’t be allowed to creep into the festivities. Don’t colour those who don’t want to be colored. Respect their sentiments,” Adityanath said.
He himself was drenched in colours during the traditional Holi procession that he has been leading in Gorakhpur since 1996.
This year’s Holi festivities have an even better tinge after the BJP’s win in the recently concluded assembly elections, he said, adding that people voted for nationalism and good governance.
Adityanath also met Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, who is in Gorakhpur as part of the Sangh’s regular cross-country visits. Yogi was closeted with the Sangh chief for nearly 50 minutes. Details of the discussion between the two leaders weren’t available. But the meeting was important as the RSS has always backed Adityanath.
Adityanath, too, has been leading the RSS campaign of urging people to bury caste divide and unite. On Holi, he flagged the message again.
“This is a festival that transcends class, caste or regional boundaries. It is a festival of social harmony. Would anyone be able to tell anyone’s caste in this riot of colours,” Adityanath had said in his speech during the Holika Dahan festival on Thursday, soon after his arrival from Lucknow.
Yogi had arrived in Gorakhpur on Thursday for Holi festivities. He has been regularly appealing to his supporters to respect each other’s sentiments.
“May be someone has an ideological issue, may be someone has a medical issue or a family issue,” he said both in his Holika Dahan speech on Thursday as well as on Saturday, to remind the people against smearing everyone with colours.
Referring to the assembly polls, Yogi Adityanath said, “For the first time since independence, the BJP has won all the nine assembly seats in Gorakhpur district.”
Gorakhpur Urban was among these nine seats. Yogi, a five-term former Lok Sabha MP, contested his first assembly election from Gorakhpur Urban. He won by over a lakh votes.
Besides, Yogi’s clout led to the BJP winning 27 of the 28 assembly seats in four districts of Gorakhpur division.
“This win is a stamp for nationalism,” Adityanath said while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Adityanath showered abeer, gulal and flower petals at the masses in the presence of some ministers like Jal Shakti minister Mahendra Singh.
“The Holi festival is proof that truth ultimately triumphs,” he said.
“Samrasta or harmony is an integral part of the Gorakhnath or Goraksh Peeth legacy. The Holi procession in which Yogi ji moves around in an open vehicle, also gives a message against caste bias or any other bias or shortcomings in the society,” said Irshad Ilmi, a political observer.
“This Holi procession dates back to 1944 when RSS stalwart Nanaji Deshmukh had started this. Ever since, this procession is an integral part of the Gorakhnath Mutt’s Holi celebrations,” he added.
