Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a hard-hitting statement on Tuesday, said, “Those who have no faith and loyalty towards India and who cannot respect its values and traditions cannot treat India’s land as a Dharamshala.
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a hard-hitting statement on Tuesday, said, “Those who have no faith and loyalty towards India and who cannot respect its values and traditions cannot treat India’s land as a Dharamshala. Those who betrayed Bhagwan Shri Ram found no place on earth.”
Warning against love jihad and land jihad, the Chief Minister said society must stand united against such challenges. Forces that seek to divide people will attempt to create divisions on the basis of caste, language, and region, but the saintly traditions of India aim to unite society and take the nation forward.
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He said, “The essence explained from the Vyas Peeth must be internalised. Listening to a spiritual discourse is not enough; it is equally important to adopt its teachings in life.”
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The Chief Minister was addressing devotees on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the 9-Divasiya Ramkatha Mahotsav held in the state capital. He also listened to the Ramkatha, which was narrated by Tulsi Peethadheeshwar Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya.
CM Yogi told devotees that anyone who comes under the grace of Shri Ram remains protected from divine calamities. He prayed that every devotee’s life continue to progress with happiness and prosperity.
He stated, “Saints had made the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement a matter of life and death. They never sought credit for it. They participated in the movement because Maryada Purushottam Bhagwan Shri Ram represents the ideal for all within India’s traditions and heritage, and because the name of Ram provides solutions to every problem in life.”
He said that, except for a few individuals influenced by politics and prejudice, every Indian who carries India’s DNA has embraced the ideals of Shri Ram in life. The name of Maryada Purushottam has the power to unite every Indian from north to south and east to west.
CM Yogi said, “The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement continued for 491 years. In 2019, the judges of the full bench of the Supreme Court stated in their judgment that the place where Ram Lalla is enshrined is indeed the birthplace of Shri Ram. Evidence, documents, and scholarly testimonies were also presented before the court.
Referring to Swami Rambhadracharya, one of the Supreme Court judges remarked that after hearing his testimony, it became evident that followers of Sanatan Dharma had suffered injustice for centuries.”
The Gorakshapeethadheeshwar said, the spiritual practice of saints is dedicated to national welfare and public good. He noted that Jagadguru Shri Rambhadracharya established India’s first university for persons with disabilities in Chitrakoot and serves as its Chancellor. Despite his age, he could have chosen to rest, but he continues to spread the message of Shri Ram for the welfare of the nation. Wherever devotees invite him, he takes the grace of Shri Ram to the people. His objective is that if devotees adopt even a small portion of Shri Ram’s great ideals in their lives, it can benefit them, as well as society and the nation.
The Chief Minister added, “Ravana and his demons had infiltrated Aryavarta. Dandakaranya suffered under the terror of Khar and Dushan. Tadaka, Maricha, and Subahu devastated forests and settlements in Bastar. Whenever negative forces gain dominance, they create destruction. They devastate educational institutions and research centres just as Khar, Dushan, and Tadaka did in their time.”
CM Yogi said, Maharishi Vishwamitra took Shri Ram under the pretext of protecting his yajna, but in reality wished to witness his strength. Shri Ram’s first encounter was with Tadaka. Maricha and Subahu also met their end.
He added that Maricha had initially tried to persuade Ravana, but when Ravana threatened to kill him, Maricha replied that if death was inevitable, he would rather die at the hands of Shri Ram and attain salvation.
The Chief Minister remarked that Maricha was related to Ravana as his maternal uncle. He observed that uncles and maternal uncles involved in improper influences often lead people astray rather than towards righteousness. Similarly, Shakuni, the maternal uncle of Duryodhana, became a cause of the Mahabharata.
He continued by adding, “Ravana abducted Mata Janaki. Shri Ram made tremendous efforts to unite North and South India. Protecting the dignity of women can serve as an ideal example in preventing love jihad. The Kerala High Court had expressed concern in 2009 and 2011 regarding conspiracies to alter religious demography, but those concerns did not receive adequate attention. Uttar Pradesh enacted a strict law in 2020, yet there remains a need for widespread public awareness on the issue.”
CM Yogi stated that negative forces emerge in every era, and society’s positive forces must remain united and prepared to confront them. Maricha, Khar, Dushan, and Subahu were also associated with what he termed land jihad, as they forcibly occupied land. Society must remain prepared to confront such elements.
He added that the practice of setting up tents on vacant land and claiming possession should come to an end.
He said, “Whether one worships Bhagwan Shiva or Bhagwan Ram, their ideals should become a part of daily life. People should strive to live according to those ideals and inspire family members to do the same. Everyone who accepted Bhagwan Ram as the ideal of life prospered, while those who opposed him found no place on Earth. Maricha, Ravana, and many others from the Ramayana era serve as examples of individuals who, despite being born into noble families and privileged circumstances, met tragic ends because they opposed Bhagwan Ram.”
CM Yogi said Pavanputra Hanuman and Vibhishan became revered after coming into the company of Bhagwan Shri Ram. Even an illiterate villager is often familiar with Hanuman Chalisa. During the medieval period, Goswami Tulsidas awakened public consciousness, cautioned society against foreign invaders, and united North India through devotion to Bhagwan Shri Ram. The same mission is being carried forward today by Tulsi Peethadheeshwar.
The Chief Minister said Jagadguru Rambhadracharya is now departing for 6 months of solitary spiritual practice, expressing hope that this period of sadhana would prove beneficial for the welfare of the nation.
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