Mahakumbh Nagar (UP), Feb 23 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the Swachh Bharat Mission has given a new inspiration to the world towards cleanliness.

Addressing a programme organized at Ganga Pandal of Sector 1 on the occasion of 149th birth anniversary of revered Sant Gadge ji Maharaj, the chief minister said Gadge ji Maharaj created public awareness about cleanliness in the last century itself, adding he used to say that God resides only where there is cleanliness.

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"Gadge ji Maharaj did kirtan among his followers and devotees, stopped superstition in any way and attacked orthodoxy and casteism as well as created widespread public awareness about cleanliness," said Adityanath.

"When Prime Minister Modi ji started the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014, people wondered what would happen from it. But Swachh Bharat Mission has become the mission of the whole of India and the whole world is overwhelmed to see the cleanliness of India," he added.

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The chief minister said it is the result of this campaign that "people have become aware of cleanliness in every village and India has become an example for the whole world on the standard of cleanliness".

"This not only protected the dignity of women, but it has also become a new inspiration for the world," he added.

Expressing gratitude to the people of Prayagraj for heartily welcoming the devotees, Adityanath said the people of Prayagraj have shown that only they have the strength of organising the Maha Kumbh as an event of their home.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)