Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday stressed the importance of promoting unity and said India would remain strong if Sanatana Dharma is strong. He warned that if the country faced a crisis, Sanatana Dharma would be in danger and no sect or caste would remain safe.
Addressing an event at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Adityanath said Sanatana Dharma is one religion, adding that it resembles a banyan tree and it should not be compared to a bush.
“Sanatana Dharma did not reach the world with the strength of swords. It reached through the teachings of goodwill. In any religion, two things have to be kept in mind. Sanatana Dharma is a banyan tree and do not compare it to a bush. There may be other sects and methods of worship in the world, but there is only one religion and that is Sanatan Dharma. This is human religion,” he said.
“If India remains safe, every religion and sect will remain safe in India. If India faces a crisis, that crisis will fall on Sanatana Dharma and if it faces a crisis, then no sect in India will feel safe. A crisis should not arise. The message of unity is important,” he said.
Adityanath condemned those attempting to sow division based on caste and language and urged the seers to stay away from such divisive tactics, and focus on fostering harmony.
He quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that thousands of people, irrespective of religion and caste, took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam (the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati) and that the Maha Kumbh was an example of unity for integrity.
“The message of Sanatana Dharma should go far and wide. When this message of unity is carried forward, Sanatana Dharma becomes stronger and in the process, helps to strengthen a country,” he said.
In January 2023, Adityanath said that Sanatana Dharma was “India’s national religion”. The Chief Minister said people connect to this “national religion” by rising above selfishness.
“Sanatana Dharma is India’s ‘Rashtriya Dharma’. Rising above selfishness, we connect to ‘Rashtriya Dharma’. Our country remains secure as a result of Sanatana Dharma. If our religious places were desecrated, restoration campaign begins. The construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya began after 500 years,” he said at an event in Rajasthan’s Jalore.