Free society from caste divisions: Yogi
GORAKHPUR: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday exhorted people to follow the teachings of Gautam Buddha and Dalit seer Sant Ravidas.
He also appealed people to help make a society free from caste division s and asked them to remain united for the larger interest of country .
He was speaking at Sant Ravidas temple in a Dalit-dominated locality on Buddha Purnima, the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha.
“If we continue to be divided on the basis of caste and untouchability, then as in the past, anti-national powers will overpower us again, posing a threat to Independence. So, it’s very necessary to remain united by following the message of Buddha who stressed on importance of unison through his third message Sangam Shranam Gachchami (I seek refuge in unison ) about 2500 years ago.
“Today, when there is talk about peace, good conduct and karuna (compassion) in any part of the world, humanity itself recalls Buddha. Buddha gave three messages 2500 years ago which are inspirational even today – Dhammam Sharanam Gachchami (I seek refuge in religion ), Buddham Sharanam Gachchami, ( I seek refuge in wisdom ) and Sangham Shranam Gachhami. (I seek refuge in unison),” the chief minister explained.
He said even Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar believed one could not give a befitting reply to untouchability and discrimination through violence and revolt but by educating the maximum people and by bringing the downtrodden into the mainstream . “It’s not important that a person takes birth in an upper caste, rather his acts are important. If a person born in the upper caste, but his acts are bad then he can’t be great. But if his acts are good, then he is great,” he said. The CM narrated a story about Sant Ravidas to discourage the practice of discrimination between castes. He also said it was about two decades ago on Buddh Purnima (May 11, 1998) that the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee made the world realise the strength of India by conducting nuclear tests in Pokhran .