New Delhi, 11 October (H.S.): On the first day of Sharadiya Navratri on Sunday, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited Jhandewalan Temple to seek the blessings of Maa Bhagwati and perform religious rituals in accordance with tradition. She prayed for the happiness, peace, prosperity and good health of the people of Delhi and the entire country.

Extending her greetings on the occasion of Navratri, the Chief Minister said the sacred festival of Maa Durga symbolised faith, devotion, strength and righteous conduct. The nine forms of the Goddess inspire people to embrace courage, self-restraint, penance, compassion and the path of righteousness in their lives, she said. Gupta expressed hope that, with the blessings of Maa Bhagwati, Delhi and the country would continue to progress and every family would enjoy happiness, prosperity and positivity.

During the occasion, the Chief Minister also adopted a firm stance against attempts to create disorder in Delhi, inconvenience ordinary citizens and damage public property. She said that while democracy grants every individual the right to express their views, causing hardship to the public, vandalising public property and disrupting the normal functioning of the city in the name of protest were unacceptable.

Gupta said that those who placed personal interests above the nation's welfare and were unhappy with the country's progress should develop a more constructive outlook. She added that people who could neither contribute to the national interest nor take pride in the country's development had little relevance to the concerns of Delhi's residents.

The Chief Minister asserted that the Delhi Government remained committed to ensuring the safety and convenience of its citizens and maintaining normalcy across the city. She made it clear that no one would be permitted to hold Delhi hostage or damage public property. Protecting ordinary citizens from unnecessary inconvenience and ensuring the smooth functioning of the city, she said, remained the government's foremost priorities.

Reiterating her commitment to the people of Delhi, Gupta said the government would continue working with full dedication to safeguard the interests of the city's residents.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar