Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday urged people to reject social evils such as corruption, drug abuse, anarchy and terrorism, while emphasising the importance of protecting women’s safety, dignity and empowerment. He said the festivals of Navratri and Vijayadashami offered an opportunity for people to overcome negative tendencies and strengthen the values of truth and righteousness in society. Adityanath called on people to carry the message of the festivals into every household and work towards building a society free from harmful practices. He stressed that social progress required individuals to address negative behaviour and collectively uphold values that promote security, respect and harmony.
The chief minister said there should be no place in society for addiction, corruption, anarchy, insecurity or terrorism. His appeal focused on the need to move beyond the symbolic observance of festivals and apply their underlying messages to everyday life. According to him, the occasion provided an opportunity to reflect on personal conduct and the responsibilities people share in creating a safer social environment. Navratri and Vijayadashami hold cultural and religious significance across India. Navratri is associated with the worship of Goddess Durga, while Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, is widely linked to the victory of good over evil.
Adityanath invoked these themes to underline the importance of confronting harmful practices and strengthening ethical conduct. The chief minister placed particular emphasis on women’s dignity and security. He said women’s safety, respect and empowerment must remain central to society, highlighting the need for an environment in which women can live without fear and participate fully in public and private life. Women’s dignity and safety remain important issues in discussions about social development, law enforcement and public responsibility. Measures to address violence, discrimination and harassment require coordinated efforts involving families, communities, institutions and authorities.
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Adityanath’s remarks reinforced the message that respect for women should be reflected in social attitudes and everyday behaviour. His appeal also addressed drug abuse and addiction, which can affect individuals, families and communities. Substance abuse can have consequences for health, household finances and social relationships, while efforts to address it often involve prevention, awareness, treatment and rehabilitation. By identifying addiction as a social evil, the chief minister called for people to reject practices that can harm individuals and undermine community wellbeing.
Corruption was another issue highlighted in his remarks. Corrupt practices can weaken public trust in institutions and undermine the delivery of essential services. Adityanath urged people to move away from such tendencies as part of a broader effort to establish ethical standards in public and private life. He also warned against anarchy, insecurity and terrorism, placing these concerns within his wider call for a society based on order, safety and responsibility. His remarks linked the values associated with the festive season to the need for collective action against threats to social stability.
The chief minister’s message was that festivals should serve as more than annual celebrations. Their values, he suggested, should encourage people to examine their behaviour, abandon harmful tendencies and contribute to a more secure and respectful society. Taking the message of Navratri and Vijayadashami into every household would mean translating those ideals into everyday decisions and conduct. Adityanath’s appeal brought together several concerns, including women’s empowerment, addiction, corruption and public security. While these issues require different responses, his remarks presented them as part of a broader challenge of building a society guided by responsibility and respect.
He urged people to use the festive occasion to renew their commitment to truth and righteousness and to reject practices that harm individuals or communities. The message also underscored the importance of ensuring that women’s dignity and safety remain integral to social values. The chief minister’s statement placed the emphasis on individual responsibility and collective efforts to address social problems. By connecting the cultural significance of Navratri and Vijayadashami with contemporary concerns, he called on people to make the ideals associated with the festivals part of their daily lives.
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