Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has called secularism the biggest threat to India’s traditions getting recognition on the global stage. “The biggest hurdle is this. We have to move away from this and focus on this direction with a pure, moral and healthy life.”
Speaking at the launch of the first edition of Global Encyclopedia of the Ramayana on Saturday, Adityanath said, "This word 'secularism' is the biggest threat to develop India's prosperous traditions and give it a spot on the global stage. People who are misleading the public for their benefit and betraying the country will not be spared. People who are creating false propaganda about India for money will face the heat."
Advocating that historical facts are undeniable, Adityanath stated still some people raised questions on the existence of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Reminding the peaceful spirit of the nation, the UP chief minister also urged that people should not let this go weary by getting involved in petty communal disputes. Criticising those who question Hindu culture, Adityanath narrated the story of a Buddhist guide in the Angkor Wat temple whom he had met during his visit to Cambodia and he added that the temple guide confidently admitted that Buddhism had originated from Hinduism.
"The stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata not only give us the best life lessons but also tell us a lot about the expansion of Indian boundaries. These stories of our epic Hindu literatures help us envision a better India. Pakistan was a part of India before 1947 and Maryada Purushottam Lord Sri Ram had extended the boundaries of India during his time by making his brother’s son, the ruler of Pakistan," he said.
Adityanath said the encyclopedia, an e-book prepared by the Ayodhya Research Institute, would motivate people to visit the temple town.
"There are Sapta Puri, seven holy cities, which are considered as the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites. Out of these, Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi are in Uttar Pradesh. It is a matter of pride for us that a workshop has been organised by the Department of Culture, in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs," he said.
He further claimed that there are proofs about the places and legends depicted in Ramayana were real and not imaginations. Asserting that technology existed in that era that “Ram came back [from Sri Lanka] in pushpak viman [a flying machine]. If he walked, he would have taken a month”, he said we could learn a lot from the science of that age.
The first edition of the Encyclopaedia was released in the English language, while Hindi and Tamil editions will be published a month later.