Sanatan Dharma is India's national religion, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Congress hits back

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said at a public function in Rajasthan that 'Sanatan Dharma is India’s Rashtriya Dharma'. CM Yogi added that every Indian must respect Sanatan Dharma.

The Uttar Pradesh CM noted that if temples were destroyed by invaders in the past then people should run a campaign to restore the destroyed temples.

"Sanatan Dharma is India's 'Rashtriya Dharma'. When we rise above selfishness, we connect to 'Rashtriya Dharma'.Our country is secure when we connect to the national religion," the chief minister said.

हमारा 'सनातन धर्म' भारत का 'राष्ट्रीय धर्म' है... pic.twitter.com/1MCGNHuK3O

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) January 27, 2023

CM Yogi made the remarks while addressing a function over the restoration of the idol programme at Neelkanth Mahadev Temple in Rajasthan's Bhinmal.

"If our religious places have been desecrated during any period, then a campaign for their restoration must be launched on the lines of Ayodhya where the construction of a grand temple of Lord Rama is going on after 500 years with the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All of you devotees contributed to the construction of this grand national temple of Lord Rama, representing national sentiment," said the UP CM.

Congress slammed the UP CM over his remarks with Chairman of Unorganized Workers and Employees Congress (KKC) Udit Raj tweeting, "CM Yogi said Sanatan Dharma is the national religion of India. This means other religions such as Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are finished."

हमारा सनातन धर्म भारत का राष्ट्रीय धर्म: बोले CM योगी।मतलब सिख , जैन, बौद्ध, निरंकार, ईसाई और इस्लाम धर्म ख़त्म।

— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) January 27, 2023