Lucknow, Sept. 20 -- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said India's identity and cultural heritage were deeply rooted in the Sanatan tradition and asserted that the tradition had always welcomed good ideas from different parts of the world.
Addressing the concluding session of 'Prerna Vimarsh-2026' at Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida, Yogi said people in India took pride in the country's rishi tradition, deities, pilgrimage centres and cultural heritage. "Sanatan belongs to everyone," he said, adding that the tradition had provided shelter to different communities and sects during times of crisis.
Yogi said Sanatan tradition had historically accepted diverse ideas. "If a good idea comes from anywhere, it should be welcomed," he said, while criticising what he described as a narrow "yours and mine" mindset.
Referring to an old statement by former vice-president Hamid Ansari, Yogi said a person who had held a constitutional position should not have made such remarks.
He alleged that such statements created a wrong image of India and encouraged an "anti-India" mindset. He also accused some people of attempting to insult India through half-truths.
Yogi also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while speaking about respect for women and the cultural importance of the mother figure.
He said Indian culture had traditionally followed the principle of giving priority to others and referred to the ethos of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam".
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.