Don’t Hand Smartphones to Children”: CM Yogi Flags Mental Health and Road Safety Risks

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has raised serious concerns over the growing dependence on smartphones, especially among children, warning that uncontrolled usage is harming their mental well-being and stealing their childhood. Speaking at a public event in Gorakhpur, the Chief Minister urged parents to rethink their habits of handing smartphones to young children, calling it a dangerous trend that can lead to stubborn behaviour, depression and a lack of interest in reading and learning. CM Yogi stressed that childhood should be spent developing healthy habits such as reading, writing and social interaction, not staring at screens. He pointed out that early exposure to smartphones affects children’s emotional growth and increases the risk of mental stress. According to him, parents must take responsibility and guide children toward activities that strengthen their minds instead of isolating them in the digital world. Extending his message beyond parenting, the Chief Minister also highlighted the dangers of smartphone usage while driving. He appealed to people to keep their phones silent on the road and focus entirely on driving, emphasizing that negligence can cost not just one life, but destroy entire families. Road safety, he said, must be treated as a shared responsibility. Calling his remarks “from experience and concern,” CM Yogi said that awareness and discipline can prevent irreversible losses. He added that if today’s modern parents follow this advice—both at home and on the road—children’s futures can be protected and countless lives can be saved.