Lucknow, Oct. 5 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the country needs to be united and should not be divided into warring caste camps. Adityanath said dividing society in the name of caste, region and language was an offence against the nation. He also expressed concern over growing pollution of rivers, emphasising that the culture surrounding rivers has been destroyed for the sake of selfishness. He cautioned that if life-sustaining rivers cease to exist, there will be a crisis of existence. The chief minister was addressing the Provincial Teachers' Dignity Workshop held as part of the All World Gayatri Pariwar's centenary celebrations at the Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University here. He inaugurated the event by releasing a souvenir and awarded the top 10 schools from Uttar Pradesh for their performance in the Indian Culture Knowledge Examination. "A true Indian will not desire an India that is fragmented and fighting along caste lines. Our vision is 'Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat' (One India, Great India)," he said. "During the era of subjugation, while one section of the society was working to unite people, another was trying to divide them. Even today, divisive elements are shattering social unity in the name of region, caste, and language. This constitutes a crime against Mother India and our ancestors; it is a mischievous attempt to jeopardise India's independence," he said. The chief minister described teachers as the conscience of society and the architects of the era. "Teachers have a key responsibility in preventing divisive forces from succeeding," he said. Mentioning the issue of river pollution, he said, "Rivers play a role similar to that of arteries in the human body. We must save our rivers and ensure they flow freely and remain pristine." Paying tributes to Gayatri Pariwar founder Pandit Shriram Sharma and Mata Bhagwati Devi, Adityanath said the organisation had demonstrated social unity by bringing people together through yajnas. Referring to the founding of the Gita Press in 1923, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1925 and the Akhil Vishwa Gayatri Pariwar in 1926, he said their paths were different, but all three contributed to awakening public consciousness. Sarojininagar MLA Rajeshwar Singh welcomed the chief minister to the event. He said this programme, dedicated to the vital role of teachers in education, values, and nation-building, saw participation from teachers across the state. "Under the steadfast resolutions and leadership of the chief minister, a new era is being built in Uttar Pradesh alongside education, security, and development," he added. During the event, the top 10 schools in the Indian Culture Knowledge Exam were honoured. These include Sitapur Inter College and Ashutosh Brij Mohan Lal Memorial College in Sitapur; Chandrashekhar Memorial Public School in Rae Bareli; Lucknow Public School and City Montessori School in Lucknow; Dr. KN Modi Science and Commerce Inter College in Ghaziabad; Shiv Pratap Inter College in Amethi; Amar Singh Inter College in Bulandshahr; Chitrakoot Inter College in Chitrakoot; and MG Public School in Muzaffarnagar. Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, MLC Dr Mahendra Singh, MLA Rajeshwar Singh, Central Zone In-charge Parmanand Dwivedi, coordinator Ramyash Tiwari, Gayatri Pariwar volunteers, and teachers from across the state were present on this occasion....