Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday inaugurated ‘Namo Ghat’, the world’s largest and most beautiful ghat.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also present on this occasion.

In his address, the Vice President said that India is the land of Sanatan and Kashi is its centre. “Sanatan Dharma embraces everyone, including invaders, and teaches us unity and determination,” he remarked.

Praising Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Vice President said that with his dedication and devotion, Yogi ji is working towards transforming Uttar Pradesh into a leading enterprise state.

He said that just as Prime Minister Modi is dedicated to conservation, creation, and visionary development, Yogi Adityanath is carrying out similar work in Uttar Pradesh as an ascetic. While praising Governor Anandi Ben Patel, he said that he had benefited from her guidance on many occasions.

The Vice President described the inauguration of ‘Namo Ghat’ as a moment of good fortune for him. “It is a great honour to inaugurate the world’s largest ghat. When Chief Minister Yogi ji asked, ‘Apart from India, where else are there ghats?’, it further strengthened my point. Kashi is a city of salvation, and its traditions remain alive continuously,” he added.

The Vice President also emphasised that the coincidence of the inauguration day is very special. “Today is the 555th Prakash Parv of the founder of Sikhism, the first Guru, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.” He also remembered the birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda and praised the glorious heritage of the tribal community.

The Vice President said that India is moving towards development at a rapid pace and the target has been set to become a developed nation by 2047. Every Indian will have to contribute to this big yagya. The Vice President stressed the need to preserve India’s cultural heritage. He said that our sages have repeatedly reminded us that our cultural roots are the basis of our present and future. It is the responsibility of all of us to preserve it.

The Vice President also emphasised indigenous sentiments in his address. He said that indigenous lamps are a unique combination of the country’s soil, oil, and cotton. “Even in global business, we should keep the indigenous spirit in mind.”

Deliberating on social harmony, he said that India is the foundation of social harmony. There may be differences of opinion, but differences of opinion should be kept to a minimum. The special thing about festivals is cordial communication and taking care of the neighbourhood.

The Vice President said, “The traditional festival of Dev Diwali gives an opportunity to every section of the society to come together. It reflects the picture of a changing India and this historical moment is extremely important for me.” He said that with the inauguration of ‘Namo Ghat’, Varanasi has once again presented its cultural and historical heritage to the world with pride.

On this occasion, Vice President’s wife Sudesh Dhankhar, Governor Anandi Ben Patel, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, State Minister of State for Stamps and Registration (Independent Charge) Ravindra Jaiswal, MLA Dr Neelkanth Tiwari, Saurabh Srivastava, Mayor Ashok Tiwari, MLC Dharmendra, Hansraj Vishwakarma, District Panchayat President Poonam Maurya, Sunil Patel, and other dignitaries were present.