Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called upon the society to ensure the protection of Sanatan Dharma, which, if it became weak, would also lead to the weakening of the nation. He was speaking at an event at the Tapodham Satguru Giridhari Nath Ji Maharaj Tapodham Ashram, in Sitapur on Monday. “In Bangladesh, Hindus are being killed and burnt, yet everyone remains silent. Those who are being killed are Dalit Hindus. Except for some religious leaders and Hindu organisations, no human rights group or global organisation is standing up to defend them,” he said. Asking people to stay alert against those who attempt to divide society, the CM added that while many civilisations and cultures across the world have vanished over time, Sanatan culture continues to stand tall and gives the message of friendship and compassion through ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. While several attempts were made to break this culture, the CM added, followers of Sanatan Dharma always offered shelter to those in crisis and gave them the opportunity to prosper. However, some people did not fulfil their duty as refugees and, after coming to India, tried to strangle the very hand that helped them and left no stone unturned in looting the nation, he claimed. “Followers of Sanatan Dharma possessed strength, wealth, and wisdom but never misused them. They always used these for the welfare of humanity. We always spoke about the welfare of all living beings. In our tradition, the first bite of food is offered to the cow, and the last to the dog. We feed flour and sugar to ants, and we even offer milk and sweets to poisonous snakes,” he said. Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing India back to its glory days, he said that India was ready to be a global power. Paying tribute to Yogiraj Giridhari Nath Ji Maharaj, the CM said that in 1947 he was forced to leave the sacred Hinglaj Devi Dham in Pakistan and travel through Kurukshetra to Sitapur. Here, he built a cave and meditated for years. After him, Guru Yogiraj Charannath Ji Maharaj established the Yog Ashram, built a cave, and meditated for months. Surviving for months without food is only possible through deep yogic practice.
