Lucknow, March 28 (IANS): UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's governance model is getting increasingly popular in the south Indian states where there is considerable curiosity among the people, Shipra Pathak, popularly known as 'Water Woman', said.
Pathak, who travelled 3,952 km from Ayodhya to Rameshwaram, said that, "Under the leadership of CM Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh, there is a sense of unparalleled security among the daughters of the state. Not only within our state but across the nation, daughters of Uttar Pradesh have the confidence that their voices would be heard everywhere in case of any wrongdoing against them. This is because Yogi Adityanath has become synonymous with Uttar Pradesh."
Pathak, India's first 'padayatri' on the Ram Janaki Van Gaman Path from 'Saryu to Sagar', started her journey from Ayodhya on November 27, 2023, and ended in Rameshwaram on March 11, 2024.
In the course of her journey, she passed through Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and crossed the forests of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Her route was on the Ram Van Gaman as mentioned in epic Ramayana.
Providing details about her journey, Shipra revealed that alongside her padayatra, a vehicle carrying water from various rivers, bearing the registration number of Uttar Pradesh, accompanied her. This vehicle served as a symbol of her association with Uttar Pradesh. Everywhere she travelled, people greeted her with joy and inquired whether she hailed from CM Adityanath's Uttar Pradesh.
Pathak remarked that being associated with Uttar Pradesh has become a source of pride nationwide.
"UP and Yogi have become inseparable. Wherever I travelled, I was warmly welcomed, and people were delighted to learn that I hailed from UP. From Ayodhya to Rameshwaram, there was a palpable sense of respect towards Chief Minister Adityanath for his decisive leadership," she observed.
Pathak further said that during her Yatra, she came across a number of people who were all praise for Chief Minister Adityanath.
"Above all, he has transformed Uttar Pradesh into a state that prioritises the safeguarding of religion and spirituality. Throughout Uttar Pradesh's developmental journey, there has been a noticeable unanimity across all sections of society on preserving religious traditions and respecting heritage," she added.
Pathak hails from Dataganj, Budaun in Uttar Pradesh.
Pathal, a social activist, holds a post-graduate degree in English Literature and has been actively involved in the political sphere. Her late grandmother Santosh Kumari Pathak served as MLA from Dataganj four times, while her maternal grandfather (nana), Triveni Sahay Sharma, also held the position of MLA from Dataganj.