UP govt inviting CMs and governors of all states for Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government will invite the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and the chief ministers and governors of all states, among host of other dignitaries, for the Maha Kumbh Mela which is set to begin from January 13.
    The mega religious event, which is held every 12 years, will continue for 45 days in Prayagraj.
    State Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said at a roadshow in the national capital on Monday that invites are being sent to the governors the chief minister of all states, including those ruled by non-NDA parties.
    "We have invited Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Vinai Kumar Saxena and will be meeting Delhi Chief Minister Atishi as well," he said at the event.
    Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Sunday and invited her to attend the Maha Kumbh.
    Adityanath also extended invitations to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena for the grand event.
    As part of the invitation, CM Yogi presented the dignitaries with special gifts, including a symbol featuring the Mahakumbh 2025 logo, a 'kalash' (sacred urn), literature related to the event, a New Year table calendar and a diary.
    The Uttar Pradesh chief minister reached New Delhi on Saturday and met former President Ram Nath Kovind, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP National President and Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, and Mizoram Governor General VK Singh.
    Each of them received personalised invitations and mementos related to the Mahakumbh.
    On Sunday, Yogi expressed gratitude to the dignitaries for their time through a post on his official handle on X, sharing photographs of the meetings.
    With the event just weeks away, the Uttar Pradesh government has intensified efforts to invite dignitaries and the general public from across the country, with the chief minister and his cabinet ministers personally leading the outreach campaigns in different states.
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday described the upcoming 'Maha Kumbh' as the "Maha Kumbh of unity" as he asked people to return from the grand religious congregation with a resolve to banish hate and division from society.
     Speaking in his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' broadcast, Modi said, "Maha Kumbh ka sandesh ek ho pura desh (Message from the Maha Kumbh should be that the entire country must be united)."
     He added, "Ganga ki aviral dhara, na bante samaj hamara" (Like the uninterrupted flow of Ganga, let our society remain one).
     Noting the diversity of people visiting the mammoth congregation, he said there is no other example of such a sight of unity in diversity.
     "Maha Kumbh's speciality lies not just in its vastness but also in its diversity," he said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)