Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 157th birth anniversary, saying “New India” was committed to realising Gandhi’s ideals of cleanliness, Swadeshi, self-reliance and Gram Swaraj.Addressing a commemorative programme in the city on Friday, Yogi said Gandhi’s principles remained relevant and continued to guide the country’s social and national priorities.Linking Gandhi’s ideas to current govt initiatives, the chief minister said Uttar Pradesh was working to advance these values through schemes such as One District-One Product (ODOP). He said the spirit of Swadeshi underpinned ODOP, which aims to promote local products and expand their presence to global markets.He also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Local to Global” and Atmanirbhar Bharat calls as efforts aligned with Gandhi’s ideals.He recalled Gandhi’s role in leading India’s freedom movement through democratic and peaceful means, which, he said, helped the movement spread widely and drew large participation from people across regions.“The distinctive feature of Bapu’s leadership was that India’s freedom movement did not remain confined to just a few cities. It reached every village, and every man, woman and child became part of the campaign,” Yogi said.He added that the world had struggled to comprehend the “miraculous force” behind the freedom struggle and attributed it to Gandhi’s leadership and moral authority.Referring to Gandhi’s simple attire and walking stick, he said the country had witnessed the strength of his leadership despite limited material resources. Chief minister urged people to adopt Gandhi’s vision of cleanliness and Swadeshi, stating that both ideas went beyond their immediate meanings. Cleanliness, he said, was not restricted to keeping surroundings tidy, and Swadeshi was not limited to choosing specific products. Instead, he said, the core of these ideals was strengthening the nation by making individuals, families and society more self-reliant.Yogi also shared childhood memories associated with khadi, saying people viewed clothes from Gandhi Ashram with curiosity and enthusiasm because khadi symbolised the freedom movement. He said the charkha became a foundation for self-reliance and self-sufficiency.Referring to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, he said toilets had been built for more than 12 crore families and that the programme had promoted cleanliness, health and women’s dignity.Connecting Gram Swaraj to rural development, Yogi said villages were being strengthened as the base of self-reliance. He said Gram Sachivalayas had been established in villages to provide services locally and create employment opportunities.
