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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday will inaugurate a landmark national memorial and inspirational complex in Lucknow that will host, among others, statues of BJP ideologues Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. December 25 is the 101st birth anniversary of Vajpayee. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on 25th December 2025, on the occasion of 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. At around 2:30 PM, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Rashtra Prerna Sthal and also address a public gathering on the occasion," an official statement said. Driven by the vision of Prime Minister Modi to honour the legacy of luminaries of independent India, the Rashtra Prerna Sthal will serve as a tribute to the life, ideals, and enduring legacy of one of India's most revered statesmen, whose leadership left a profound impact on the nation's democratic, political, and
Uttar Pradesh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna on Tuesday told the state Assembly that cyber offences, including the circulation of obscene and offensive content on social media, can attract penalties of up to Rs one crore and imprisonment up to seven years, asserting that the government has put in place a robust mechanism to deal with such cases. Replying to a query during the Question Hour, Khanna said immediate action is taken whenever objectionable, defamatory or criminal content is circulated on social media. He said such cases are reported by district superintendents of police and station house officers to the cyber wing, including the DIG (cyber), through which the objectionable content can be swiftly taken down, even when the servers are located abroad. He said that in matters related to national security, the special secretary (home) has been authorised to take cognisance and initiate appropriate action. "Action is taken strictly in accordance with the ..
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday appealed to the citizens to participate in efforts to protect vulnerable people from the ongoing cold wave, urging them to ensure domestic workers, sanitation staff, security guards and others around them have adequate arrangements to cope with the severe cold. "The government is working with full sensitivity and promptness to protect people from the cold wave in north India. Officials have been instructed to adopt a humane and highly sensitive approach," he wrote in a post on X in Hindi. Across the state, he added, night shelters are being operated at full capacity while arrangements for quilts, blankets, drinking water, bonfires and heaters have been ensured at these shelters. "Examinees coming from other places and relatives of patients are also being provided shelter here. For the government, every human life is invaluable," the CM said. He further said woollen clothes and blankets are being distributed to the needy throug
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday strongly rebutted allegations by Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey over "deaths" due to consumption of fake medicines and codeine syrup, asserting in the Assembly that no such case has come to the notice of the state government so far. He said that cases related to illegal diversion of the syrup were being pursued under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the state government had successfully defended its stand in court. Replying to the issue raised by the opposition as soon as the House proceedings began, Adityanath said the matter appeared to be politically motivated. "When an issue is raised unnecessarily, one is reminded of the saying 'Chor ke dadhi me tinka' (a guilty person feels the prick of straw in his beard)," he remarked. The chief minister said "there is not a single case of death due to fake drugs reported in Uttar Pradesh till date," and added that enforcement agencies remain ..
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused the previous state governments of "destroying" the cooperative sector, saying the BJP-led administration has revived it and is now moving towards the concept of "one cooperative bank per district". Addressing the 'Yuva Sahakar Sammelan' here, the CM said, "Before 2017, the condition of district cooperative banks was extremely poor. Sixteen banks had been declared defaulters and had their licenses revoked by the Reserve Bank of India. Today, these banks are healthy, contributing not only to their members but also to the prosperity of farmers." He alleged that earlier governments promoted a "one district, one mafia" culture, which led to the collapse of the cooperative sector and trapped farmers' capital. "The BJP government gradually returned Rs 4,700 crore deposited by farmers in the 16 banks whose licenses had been revoked. Now, the banks are functioning effectively," he said. The government is taking steps to strengthe
Escalating the war of words over allegations linked to the illegal codeine cough syrup trade, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday hit back at Yogi Adityanath with a poetic riposte, a day after the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister targeted him through a couplet. Addressing a press conference at the SP headquarters here, Yadav accused the government of trying to divert attention by circulating photographs and making political allegations instead of acting against the guilty. He called for 'bulldozer action' against all those involved, irrespective of political affiliation, noting that the issue concerns not just Uttar Pradesh but also the prime minister's parliamentary constituency, Varanasi. Referring to Adityanath's poetic remark on Friday, Yadav said he was not a poet himself, but party veteran Uday Pratap, seated beside him, was a well-known literary figure. Quoting from one of his works and targeting the chief minister, Yadav recited: "Apna chehra na ponchha gaya ..
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed police officials to take strict action against travel agents who cheat people on the pretext of sending them abroad, and ensure that victims recover their money, The chief minister asked the police to identify such fraudulent agents and initiate stringent action against them, according to an official statement. Adityanath issued the directions while hearing public grievances during a 'Janata Darshan' programme held on Saturday morning at the Mahant Digvijaynath Smriti Bhavan auditorium of the Gorakhnath Temple complex. Around 250 people were present for the programme. A woman informed the chief minister that an agent promised to send a family member abroad but was later found to be cheating them. Taking cognisance of the complaint, Adityanath directed the police officials present to "take strict action against the agent and ensure that the victim's money was returned." He also cautioned the woman against falling int
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said some people arrested for alleged involvement in supplying illegal codeine-based cough syrup have links to the Samajwadi Party. "Everyone knows that every 'mafia' group has ties with the Samajwadi Party," Adityanath told reporters ahead of the beginning of the Winter session of the UP assembly. The chief minister said the Legislative Assembly will not likely see any business on Friday due to the sudden death of an MLA. But the government will respond to any questions on the matter in the legislative council and if it is raised outside the House, he said. "However, initial investigation have revealed that some of the men arrested by the STF (special task force) or UP Police have links to the Samajwadi Party. The involvement of Samajwadi Party, which is already notorious and has a tarnished reputation, will also come to light since a state-level SIT is monitoring the entire case, and officers from the UP Police and the FSDA ar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday mourned the death of noted sculptor Ram Sutar, and said his works will always be admired as powerful expressiion of India's history and culture. "Deeply saddened by the passing of Shri Ram Sutar Ji, a remarkable sculptor whose mastery gave India some of its most iconic landmarks, including the Statue of Unity in Kevadia," Modi said in a post on X. The prime minister said Sutar's workd will always be admired as powerful expressions of India's history, culture and collective spirit. "He has immortalised national pride for generations to come. His works will keep inspiring artists and citizens alike. My heartfelt condolences to his family, admirers and all who were touched by his remarkable life and work. Om Shanti," Modi said. Sutar, 100, breathed his last at this residence in Uttar Pradesh's Noida on late Wednesday night.
Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary was on Sunday named the new president of the BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit, with his election being formally announced by Union Minister Piyush Goyal here. The announcement was made in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak. Chaudhary filed his nomination for the post on Saturday and was the sole candidate in the fray. He submitted the papers to former Union minister and BJP state election officer Mahendra Nath Pandey and central election observer Vinod Tawde. Adityanath, his two deputies, and Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh were present during the filing of the nomination. A seven-time Lok Sabha MP from the Maharajganj constituency, Chaudhary belongs to the Kurmi community, categorised under Other Backwards Classes (OBC). He is considered a close confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday said the NAFED is set to open 50 urad procurement centres across 17 districts of the state, where farmers will be able to sell their produce at a minimum support price of Rs 7,800 per quintal. Registration has already started, and procurement will begin shortly, it said in a statement. Payments will be transferred directly to the farmers' bank accounts within three working days of the sale, it said. Under the Aatmanirbhar Dal Yojana of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), direct procurement from farmers will continue until January 29, 2026. The initiative guarantees fair price and eliminates middlemen from the process, the statement said. NAFED state head Rohit Jaiman said that under the guidance of its Managing Director Deepak Agarwal, the entire system is being implemented swiftly, simply and with a strong farmer-first approach, ensuring that every eligible farmer benefits. Procurement preparations a
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday raided multiple locations in various states as part of a money laundering investigation against an alleged illegal cough syrup trade racket in Uttar Pradesh, officials said. The searches are covering 25 premises in Lucknow, Varanasi, Jaunpur and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh apart from those located in Ranchi and Ahmedabad, they said. The federal probe agency has booked a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe the alleged illegal trade. Locations linked to absconding main accused Shubham Jaiswal and his alleged associates Alok Singh, Amit Singh and some others, cough syrup manufacturers and a Chartered Accountant (CA) Vishnu Aggarwal are being raided, according to ED officials. The ED action is based on about 30 UP Police FIRs that were registered after the state government took cognisance of incidents related to misuse of codeine-based cough syrups (CBCS), their illegal manufacturing, trade and transport ...