Society progresses only when mistakes of history are rectified: Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow, Dec 23 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said the society progresses only when mistakes of history are rectified in a timely manner.

He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 134th Annual Sports Competition held at Colvin Taluqdars College here.

"It is necessary to draw inspiration from the glorious moments of history to take the society forward. The mistakes of history must be rectified in a timely manner, only then will the society progress. If there has been any error, it must be corrected. The good deeds should be an inspiration to move life forward." Adityanath said India had always preserved its traditions through festivals and celebrations. "Politics in the country continued to function, but kings, princes and leaders of the society never interfered. Instead, they contributed to the preservation and promotion of culture," he said.

The chief minister also praised the students' march past, equating it to that of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj.

He said elements that divide the society will always be present, but the responsibility of uniting the society lies with educational institutions.

"When this institution was founded in 1889, the country's circumstances must have been difficult. Then, ideas like Vande Mataram awakened the spirit of freedom in people's minds. Even after the First War of Independence in 1857, slavery was considered permanent but Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, through his novel Anandamath, gave the country a timeless creation like Vande Mataram. After it was set to music by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on the Congress platform in 1896, it became the mantra of the freedom movement," Adityanath said.

He also praised the institute's initiative in naming its houses after historical sites such as Ajanta, Nalanda, Taxila, Sanchi and Ujjain, calling it an excellent effort to keep India's glorious tradition alive.

Taxila was one of the world's oldest universities, where the foundations of knowledge, science, Ayurveda and philosophy were laid 2,500 years ago. The rich tradition of Nalanda, Ujjain's knowledge of astronomy and the sense of justice of its king Vikramaditya, and the architectural heritage of Ajanta and Sanchi still stand as proof of India's intellectual and cultural eminence, he said.

"The effort to ensure the all-round development of students based on these values is commendable," he said.

The chief minister said the current year was associated with a lot of historical significance for the country, including the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the 350th birth anniversary of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar, 150 years of the composition of Vande Mataram, the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Bhagwan Birsa Munda, and 75 years of the Indian Constitution, reminding us of its glorious history.

"The celebration of Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya was not limited to Ayodhya alone, the entire country embraced it through Diwali," he said.

The chief minister told students that there is no alternative to discipline and hard work to progress in life, and that one should engage in some creative activity along with their regular studies.

He advised them to avoid excessive use of smartphones and social media, and to limit their use to less than half an hour.

Language and knowledge develop through reading newspapers and good books and hence, cultivate the habit of reading and visit libraries to read mythological and historical works, he told them and advised them not to pay attention to those who spread misinformation in the society.

At the event, Adityanath honoured the students who had performed exceptionally in the academic year. Among the prominent students honoured were Dinesh Pratap Singh, Pranjal Tripathi, Devraj Singh Patel, Ayushi Singh, and Sarthak Tripathi.

Union Minister and president of the British India Association Kirti Vardhan Singh and former Member of Legislative Council Rakesh Pratap Singh were present on the occasion. PTI NAV RUK RUK