CM Yogi visits Mathura on Janmashtami; calls for preservation of Sanatan Dharma

Mathura, Aug 16 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday visited Mathura, the birthplace of Shri Krishna, on the occasion of Janmashtami and extended greetings to devotees from across the country and abroad.

Emphasising the need to preserve Sanatan Dharma while ensuring modern development, the Chief Minister urged people to follow the path shown by Lord Krishna and work for 'Lok Mangal (welfare of the people)' and 'Rashtra Mangal (welfare of the nation)'.

Before addressing devotees at Bhagwat Bhawan, CM Yogi offered prayers at Thakur Keshavdev and Mata Yogmaya temples and worshipped at the sanctum sanctorum.

The premises reverberated with chants of “Vrindavan Bihari Lal” and “Jai Shri Radhe” as he joined the gathering in raising slogans.

Greeting devotees on the 5,252nd birth anniversary of Shri Krishna, he described Brajbhoomi as the land of divine 'leelas' of the deity and said it was the good fortune of Uttar Pradesh that several incarnations of Lord Vishnu took place here.

“From Ayodhya to Mathura, these sacred places are symbols of our spiritual heritage,” he said.

CM Yogi highlighted his government’s initiatives to re-establish Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Gokul, Baldev, Govardhan, and Radha Kund as major pilgrimage centres. He cited the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as examples of how Uttar Pradesh is setting “a new paradigm of spiritual heritage and modern development.”

He also spoke about the government’s commitment to cow protection, calling Gau Mata a symbol of Sanatan Dharma. He said farmers rearing cows are being given Rs 1,500 per month, and over 16 lakh cows are currently under protection.

Urging people to remain vigilant against divisive tendencies in the name of caste, region, or language, he stressed the need to respect soldiers guarding the nation’s borders and uphold social unity.

He also reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Panch Pran” vision -- eliminating elements of slavery, embracing swadeshi, preserving heritage, respecting soldiers, and strengthening social harmony.

He praised the work of Braj Tirtha Vikas Parishad for developing the Braj region and said it was the collective responsibility of society to connect India’s 5,000-year-old spiritual legacy with modern growth.

“Symbols of Sanatan Dharma like Ganga, Yamuna, Gau Mata, Gayatri and our pilgrimages are our identity -- it is our duty to protect them,” he said, before joining devotees in chanting slogans including “Shri Keshav Dev Maharaj ki Jai,” “Shri Krishna Kanhaiya ki Jai,” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”

--IANS

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