Lucknow, Oct 2 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, took part in a cleanliness drive in the city and appealed to people to become part of the Swachh Bharat Mission for realising the objective of ‘Clean India -- Healthy India’.

The Chief Minister also participated in a charkha spinning event at Gandhi Ashram in Lucknow and bought a Khadi product, for which the payment was done via digital mode. He made a fervent appeal to people to support Khadi garments and announced a 25 per cent discount on the same for 108 days at the Gandhi Ashram.

Earlier, Yogi Adityanath paid floral tributes to the Father of the Nation by garlanding his statue.

Speaking at the regional Gandhi Ashram, the Chief Minister remarked that the country is forever grateful for Mahatma Gandhi's immense contribution to both the nation and humanity.

"It was once said that the sun never sets on the British Empire, yet the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi succeeded in bringing down that empire," he added.

CM Yogi emphasised that the Swachh Bharat Mission aims to realise Mahatma Gandhi's vision of cleanliness and said that it was reaching new milestones.

“The construction of toilets in over 12 crore households across the country is not just a push for cleanliness, but also a campaign to uphold women’s dignity, he pointed out.

"Without empowering women, society cannot achieve self-reliance. Gandhi's ideals of cleanliness, women's empowerment, Swadeshi, and self-reliance are just as relevant in the present day," the CM added.

CM Yogi further noted that the ‘new India’ is progressing swiftly by drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi's values and principles.

He further emphasised that Khadi must become a part of citizen's daily lives while announcing a 25 per cent discount on Khadi products.

He called upon the people to give indigenous items and inspire others to adopt local products, pointing out that the initiative would not only create more employment but also contribute to the realisation of a self-reliant and developed India, in line with Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Gram Swaraj.

He appealed to the public to prioritise local products over foreign items during the upcoming festivals.

At the event, the Chief Minister also led a symbolic cleanliness drive, sweeping the roads to promote the message of cleanliness.