Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Uttar Pradesh’s Sant Kabir Nagar on Thursday, will inaugurate a two-day Kabir Mahotsav organised by the Union Ministry of Culture at Maghar in the district. The festival is being organised to mark the 500th death anniversary of mystic poet and saint, Kabir Das.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Mahesh Sharma will also attend the inauguration ceremony. In 2014, PM Modi had chosen Varanasi, 200 km from Maghar, to kickstart his party’s election campaign in UP. Maghar is known as ‘Gateway to Hell’ as locals believe that anyone who dies here goes straight to hell. It was this superstition that the 15th-century poet and mystic Kabir — known for his message of tolerance — had sought to dispel when he travelled to Maghar to breathe his last.
In a sharp attack at Samajwadi Party and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, PM Modi said the previous government in the state was more about their own bungalows. After the Supreme Court order, the state government had issued notices to six former chief ministers --- Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh and Akhilesh Yadav. Barring ailing Congress veteran ND Tiwari whose wife has sought more time, all of them have handed over their official bungalows.
The issue also witnessed a bitter face-off between the former UP CM and ruling BJP government as they traded charges on damage to the government accommodation in Lucknow vacated by former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi offered 'chadar' at the 'mazar' (mausoleum) of Sant Kabir Das and laid the foundation stone of a research institute named after the 15th-century mystic poet.
Speaking at a rally in Maghar, PM Modi targeted the opposition for creating hindrance in the passage of Triple Talaq bill in the parliament, PTI report said.
2 days ago, there was 43rd anniversary of Emergency. It is the greed for power that those who imposed and those who opposed Emergency have come together today. They don't see the welfare of society but only the welfare of themselves & their families: PM Narendra Modi in Maghar
"Over the last four years, we have worked round the clock towards banking the unbanked, funding the unfunded and financially securing the unsecured. All this is being done to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of India’s poor, neo-middle class and middle class," says PM Modi.
The prime minister on Thursday came down heavily upon the opposition various issues like occupying government bungalows and triple talaq.
PM Modi hailed Kabir and other Indian saints while speaking at a rally in Maghar. He mentioned Sant Tukaram, Ravidas and other saints for contributing to the society. He also mentioned Bhimrao Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi for their service to mankind.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a public rally at Maghar in Sant Kabir Nagar district in UP.
PM Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of Sant Kabir Academy in Maghar. Before that, PM Modi visited Sant Kabir's cave.