Gorakhpur (UP), March 4 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that festivals of joy and enthusiasm can be celebrated in their true spirit only in an atmosphere of security and peace.
Launching the traditional Holi celebrations at the Gorakhnath Temple, the chief minister said Holi symbolizes social harmony, enthusiasm, and collective joy.
"Festivals of enthusiasm and happiness assume a celebratory form only when there is peace, a sense of security, and mutual trust in society. Uttar Pradesh and the entire country are moving forward today with this sense of confidence," he told mediapersons at the temple premises.
Adityanath said that the rich tradition of India and the country's ancestors had preserved the legacy of Holi for thousands of years and handed it down in the spirit of harmony, which the present generation is carrying forward with equal zeal.
He said that people from all sections of society were participating in the festival, experiencing joy, and making efforts to end any differences and promote a harmonious social order.
The chief minister said that all Holika Dahan programmes across the state were conducted peacefully.
"Holika Dahan events were organised at more than 1.61 lakh places in the state in a peaceful and enthusiastic manner," he said.
Describing Holika Dahan as an occasion to remember Lord Vishnu's Narasimha avatar, Adityanath said divine incarnations inspire society to curb disorder and unrest, protect virtuous forces and defeat negative tendencies.
"If we discharge our roles with honesty in the spirit of Prahlad, Shabari or Arjuna, positive forces will be strengthened, and negative forces will automatically move towards defeat," he said.
The chief minister also said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a "New India" was emerging and moving rapidly towards becoming a developed nation.
"India today is firmly advancing on the path of heritage and development under the leadership of the Prime Minister. We can feel proud that in the Amrit Kaal of Independence, we have received such visionary guidance," he said.
Adityanath extended his greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on the occasion of Holi and expressed hope that future generations would continue to celebrate the festival of harmony with the same enthusiasm for years to come.
He later participated in "Bhagwan Narsinghji ki Shobha yatra" and attended Holi celebrations.
