Jaipur, March 15 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the sacrifice of Rani Padmini at the Chittorgarh fort symbolized women's dignity and the resolve to protect the nation's honour.
Addressing a gathering at the Jauhar Mela and tribute ceremony in Chittorgarh, Adityanath said the act of jauhar by the women of Mewar represented courage, self-respect, and determination.
He was referring to the historical practice of mass self-immolation by women and girls to avoid capture and torture when defeat in war was certain.
Adityanath said when his government came to power in Uttar Pradesh, it adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards crime and criminals and prioritized women's dignity and safety.
"Earlier, many girls had to stay with relatives in distant places to pursue their studies, but now they can live at their home and travel five to 10 kilometers to their schools," he said.
"In a state like Uttar Pradesh, daughters and sisters now work even on night shifts in offices and factories and return home safely," he said, adding that this reflected the improved security environment in the state.
The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the inspiration for the changes in his state also came from the valour and traditions of Rajasthan, particularly the legacy of Mewar and Chittorgarh.
He said whenever the bravery and heroism of the region are remembered, stories of the courage of warriors and the sacrifices of brave women come to the fore.
Recalling the jauhar of the women of Mewar and the devotion of Meera Bai, he said such traditions inspire the country.
Before the address, he visited the Jauhar site at the fort and paid tribute to the brave women. He also offered prayers at the Kalika Mata temple.
Later, Adityanath reached Jalore to attend a two-day religious event at Sire Mandir.
During the visit, he inspected the school building of Shri Shantinath Adarsh Vidya Mandir and planted a sapling of an Ashoka tree in the school campus.
Addressing a programme at the school premises, Adityanath said the country was moving steadily towards the goal of a developed India by 2047 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Chief Whip in Rajasthan Assembly Jogeshwar Garg, MP Lumbaram Chaudhary, BJP MLAs Balaknath, Chhagan Singh Rajpurohit and other leaders and public representatives were present in the programme.
Adityanath is scheduled to offer prayers at the Shri Ratneshwar Mahadev temple on Monday morning and participate in the concluding rituals of a Mahayagya. He will later address a programme at Sire Mandir Dham.