Lucknow, August 15 (PTI) Calling for unity and integration in the country, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday that religion and worship should be ‘secondary’ for us and the country should be kept paramount.

A spokesperson of the state government stated that Chief Minister made these remarks during the unveiling of the ‘My Soil-My Country’ campaign’s Amrit Stambh at Amrit Vatika premises here. He said, “To develop India, it is essential that we take pride in our heritage, break free from the remnants of subjugation, and emphasize unity and integration.” He added, “Unity and integration should be such that it transcends North, South, East, West, caste, religion, region, and language, and instead, we regard Bharat Mata as supreme for all. This should be our priority. Political affiliations and worship should be secondary for us. While they may be our personal concerns, our commitment should be to ‘Salute the Soil, Honor the Warriors’.”

He highlighted that to realize the vision of a developed India, the forthcoming 25 years come with the opportunity for all of us to join with new resolutions, enthusiasm, and aspirations. It is the duty of every citizen to work for society and the nation.

On this occasion, Adityanath also planted Harishankari saplings in Amrit Vatika as part of the Vriksharopan Mahabhiyan-2023. He inaugurated the campaign to plant five crore saplings across the state on Independence Day.

He stressed that Amrit Vatika is also urging all of us to come together with a new commitment during the centenary year of the country’s independence.

The Chief Minister said that when the nation celebrates the centenary of its independence after 25 years, this Amrit Vatika and Amrit Stambh will also remind us of the commitments of the Amrit Mahotsav of independence.

He expressed that this garden and monument will symbolize our connection with the centenary celebrations of independence.