In this image received on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pays tribute to ‘Adi Kavi Maharishi Valmiki’ on his birth anniversary, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. @myogiadityanath/X via PTI

Top Uttar Pradesh leaders on Tuesday (October 7, 2025) paid tributes to Maharishi Valmiki observing Valmiki Jayanti Statewide with grandeur, featuring numerous events.

U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the occasion hit out at the Opposition saying that the Samajwadi Party (SP) disrespected Valmiki. “The SP did not build the Ayodhya airport. When the government was building it and PM Modi named the airport after Maharshi Valmiki, the SP opposed it, said Mr. Adityanath, addressing the Maharshi Valmiki Manifestation Day ceremony held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan under the aegis of Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Mahasabha Trust. 

Making an announcement, Mr. Adityanath added that sanitation and contract workers will now get money directly into their bank accounts not from outsourcing companies but from the government corporation.

“Sanitation workers will also get a health insurance cover of five lakh rupees. When the corporation’s money comes into the account, arrangements will be made that if unfortunately, any sanitation worker meets with an accident the bank will provide 35-40 lakh rupees. Now the sanitation workers will also be linked to this arrangement”, said the U.P. CM.

Mr. Adityanath described Maharshi Valmiki as the fate-maker of India’s great spiritual tradition. 

Touching upon the social identity of Valmiki, the U.P. CM added that India’s tradition of divine sages has guided society through every era. “In the Ramayana period, it was Maharshi Valmiki; in the Mahabharata era, Maharshi Ved Vyasa; in the medieval period, Sant Ravidas; and during the freedom struggle, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Though they lived in different times, all shared the same vision of uplifting the society,” said Mr. Adityanath. 

Hitting out at the Samajwadi Party (SP), Mr. Adityanath those people who today remember Dr. Ambedkar in every press conference, had changed the name of Kannauj Medical College from Baba Saheb, in their regime. “Today, those people remember Baba Saheb in every press conference, but then SP’s CM changed the name of Kannauj Medical College from Baba Saheb. We restored it. Lucknow’s Language University was named after Kanshiram Ji, but the SP changed that name too,” said Mr. Adityanath. 

The SP president Akhilesh Yadav also paid tributes to Maharishi Valmiki in Lucknow at the State office, and pledged to end discrimination in the society. “A pledge should be taken to end discrimination, inferiority complex and hatred in the society. Ramraj is not possible without social justice. The Samajwadi Party had launched several schemes for the welfare of the Valmiki Samaj during its reign and had also declared a public holiday in honor of the Maharishi. The Valmiki community, which is part of the PDA, is being tortured by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government,” he said. 

Published – October 08, 2025 01:09 am IST