Lucknow: Linking the revival of Mathura’s religious and cultural identity with development and law and order, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that centuries of attacks on temples failed to weaken the country’s faith.
Speaking in Mathura on the eve of Janmashtami , Yogi said that alongside physical infrastructure, the BJP govt also restored India’s cultural memory. Citing Mathura, Ayodhya and Kashi as examples of religious traditions that survived repeated attacks, he said: “Foreign invaders destroyed temples, but they could not shake our devotion. Taking a broader view of development, Yogi said govts traditionally measured progress through roads, electricity, water, buildings and industries while neglecting cultural heritage. He said India’s heritage extended beyond monuments and temples to languages, literature, music, art, philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine, astronomy and indigenous knowledge systems. He said Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Govardhan and Baldev were now increasingly identified with religious festivals and tourism rather than law-and-order concerns. “Earlier, there was apprehension of disturbances before festivals; now there is preparation for festivals,” Yogi said. “Uttar Pradesh is free of curfews and communal riots for the past nine-and-a-half years,” he said.