Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday called upon people to take up the task of cleaning Yamuna on the lines of what was done to make the holy Ganga river clean under Namami Gange.

“How we made Ganga clean was watched by the entire world during the glorious Prayagraj Kumbh. Now it is our responsibility to give a new face to the Braj area, the land of Krishna Leela, and set a new example to the world in terms of development,’’ Yogi said while speaking at the ‘Kumbh Poorv Vaishnav Baithak, 2021’ at Vrindavan, Mathura, on Sunday. The CM dedicated and laid the foundation of development projects worth Rs  411 crore.

The ‘Vaishnav Baithak’ is a traditional meeting of saints before the Kumbh. Yogi, in a rare gesture, attended the meeting even as the Kumbh is not being organised in Uttar Pradesh. As per the old traditions, the saints and Akharas will now proceed to Haridwar Kumbh. The CM said that when the proposal for this programme had come, the entire country was faced with the Covid pandemic. “We had a challenge to organise the programme which comes once in 12 years. What used to happen in earlier governments was for everyone to see, but we could do it since it was the efficiency and resolve of the BJP government,” he said.

The CM said that his government has been committed to developing the Braj area like never before and several projects remain in the pipeline while many have been completed. Speaking about Yamuna, he regretted that the ‘Clean Yamuna’ endeavours should have been started from Delhi, but nothing was done in this regard.

Coming down heavily on the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi, Yogi said at least the Delhi government should take some initiative initially, after which the Jal Shakti department could take further care.

  Making a clarion call to the people of Braj to participate in the development of this region, he said that besides being the land of Krishna, ‘Gau Sewa’ and ‘Yamuna’ were an integral part of this region.

“If people of this region dedicate themselves to these causes, Krishna will bestow them with prosperity,” he said.

Earlier, on reaching Vrindavan, the CM went to the Banke Bihari temple to pay obeisance to the deity. He met saints and attended the meeting of Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad.

Assuring world-class development in Braj, the CM said it is a matter of satisfaction that the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad has been working in tandem with ministers and the ‘sant samaj’ has ensured development of the area.

 “Since independence, the governments came and went but it is for the first time that the views of the saint community are being incorporated in the development of the region,’’ he said while pointing out that the renovation of Kashi Vihwanathin Varanasi and successful conduct of Prayagraj Kumbh had been the recent examples of how the sentiments of saints can be respected and the benefits of government schemes could reach all without any discrimination. Later, the CM also participated in ‘Yamuna Aarti’ at Deoraha Baba Ghat in Vrindavan.