Without mentioning anyone’s name, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday cautioned people, saying that the villains of the Ramayana and Mahabharata still exist today in new names and forms.
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said these people are working to divide society, and urged followers of Sanatan Dharma to “remain vigilant against such people.”
Adityanath asserted that forces seeking to divide society and threaten security have existed in every era, yet through the strength of Sanatan unity, they have always been defeated.
While addressing a public gathering on the occasion of Vijayadashami festival, the Chief Minister extended his greetings and wishes, and said that although the names may have changed, the evil characters from the Ramayana and Mahabharata still exist in new forms.
“Even today, society faces people like Shurpanakha, Tadaka, Khar-Dushan, Maricha, and Subahu,” the CM said according to a statement.
The Chief Minister remarked that those dividing society in the name of casteism, untouchability, and discrimination must have been allies of Tadaka, Maricha, and Shurpanakha in their previous births. Likewise, those threatening the safety of daughters and traders, he said, were likely disciples of Duryodhana and Dushasana in past lives.
He urged that society must remain vigilant against such people.
Addressing the gathering, CM Adityanath said that Vijayadashami signifies the triumph over Ravana–symbol of unrighteousness, injustice, and oppression–and the proclamation of Ramrajya by Lord Shri Ram. He stressed that the ideals of Ramrajya remain relevant across all ages and circumstances.
As an expression of gratitude to Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram, Sanatanis burn effigies of Ravana and honour Lord Ram with reverence, he noted.
The Chief Minister recalled that Maharshi Valmiki, when guiding humanity through his pen, found in Shri Ram the very embodiment of Dharma itself.
“Every aspect of Dharma resides in Ram, who lives in every breath of Sanatanis,” he said.
Citing the popularity of the Ramayana serial, Yogi Adityanath said that in the 1990s, despite limited communication channels, it reached over 660 million viewers and became a household name. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, its re-telecast once again became the most-watched show, underscoring the timeless inspiration of Ram’s life, he said.
The Chief Minister took aim at those who, he said, do not take pride in India’s heritage.
