If Sanatan is Safe, All Are Secure: Yogi’s Vision for a Stronger India

On a chilly Monday evening in Barabanki, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stood before a sea of supporters, a modest lamp flickering beside him as he performed an arti to Lord Mahadev at the ancient Lodheshwar Mahadev Temple. The ceremony was more than a ritual; it set the tone for what would become a sprawling political sermon.

Having just laid foundation stones for 82 development projects worth over ₹542 crore, Yogi turned to the crowd and pronounced, “If Sanatan is safe, all are secure.” He argued that India’s real strength, its future prosperity, rests on the sturdy pillars of Sanatan Dharma. According to him, any threat to those pillars would ripple through every corner of the nation.

He didn’t shy away from criticism. The chief minister tossed a pointed jab at the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, accusing them of practising a brand of secularism that, in his view, “puts boundary walls around graveyards instead of temples.” He recalled how previous governments, he claimed, had banned traditional pilgrimages like the Kanwar Yatra, Janmashtami gatherings, Ram Navami processions and even the colourful Durga Puja pandals—actions he framed as symbolic of a misguided secularism.

“We must honour every great soul who gave their life to the nation and to Sanatan,” Yogi urged, urging the younger generation to learn about these figures. He warned that if Sanatan were ever undermined, “no one will be able to survive it.” The message was clear: protect the religion, protect the country.

In practical terms, the CM announced a new “Kashi Vishwanath‑style” corridor for the Lodheshwar Mahadev temple, with funds already earmarked. He also reminded listeners that iconic shrines such as the Mahadeva Temple in Barabanki, the Ayodhya Ram Temple and the Kashi Vishwanath Temple have historically been starved of funds, dismissed as “communal” by past administrations.

Beyond the religious rhetoric, Yogi highlighted tangible achievements. He boasted about the production of BrahMos missiles in Lucknow, contrasting it with what he described as a law‑and‑order vacuum under earlier regimes. “When a BrahMos is fired, Pakistan loses sleep,” he declared, the crowd cheering in response.

The chief minister also took a swipe at the opposition’s alleged mismanagement of large‑scale infrastructure. He claimed the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) cost ₹864 crore—far beyond its projected ₹200 crore—and remains unfinished. Similarly, he said tenders worth ₹15,200 crore for the Purvanchal Expressway were awarded before land was even acquired. Yogi insisted his government re‑tendered, bought the land, and completed the expressway at a lower cost of ₹11,800 crore.

In closing, Yogi called for a collective effort: celebrate the saints, protect the temples, and keep the nation’s developmental engine humming. For him, safeguarding Sanatan is not just a spiritual duty—it’s a political strategy aimed at forging a “secure India.”