Adityanath in his customary saffron robes was sitting in his office in Gorakhnath temple in Uttar Pradesh when a cat came and sat on his lap.

As per the statement, the chief minister shared the endearing picture with the caption ‘Hit Anhit Pashuo Panchiyo Jana’. Adityanath quoted a Hindi proverb that means “even birds and animals can differentiate between friends and foes”.

The chief minister, who has the reputation of Gausevak, is often seen pampering and taking care of other animals as well.

On his visit to Gorakhpur, the Chief Minister makes sure to spend time with the cattle at the temple cowshed. He showers love on them. He feeds the animals jaggery-gram, fodder with his hands. Along with this, he dotes on his beloved dogs Kalu and Gullu, said the press release from his office.

As soon as the picture of the cat sitting on his lap was posted on Twitter, likes and retweets followed.

Poeple admired the animal lover chief minister for his thoughtful act. In just half an hour, the tweet was liked by more than 3,500 people and retweeted by more than 550 people, while more than 73,000 people had seen it.

In October, a picture of the Chief Minister feeding and caressing leopard cubs at the Gorakhpur Zoo also created a buzz on Twitter.

Adityanath, who has established the state as an example in development, law and order and implementation of public welfare schemes, is also known for showering compassion and affection towards animals, said the press release.