The chief minister was present as the chief guest at the procession of various tableaus taken out by Swami Vivekanand Yuwa Pratishthan to mark the Marathi New Year and to celebrate Gudi Padwa. Women's empowerment was the theme for the procession.
Addressing a public rally at Thakurdwar square, Fadnavis said that it was a handful of people who, for their personal interest, discriminate between gender or caste. Stating that a deity never discriminates between a man and a woman, he added that such people try to control religion and culture by themselves.
If India wants to progress, Fadnavis said, it can't do it by depriving 50 per cent of its population from entering temples or any other place. He added that from today, the 'darshan' is open for everyone and no one would be required to ask for police help anymore.