Sant Ravidas' philosophy commits us to follow path of truth Adityanath's tribute to social reformer

     Lucknow, Feb 12 (PTI) Political leaders across Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday paid tribute to social reformer Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidas on his birth anniversary.
     Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took to X to offer his salutations and wrote, "Millions of salutations to Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidas ji on his birth anniversary! His life philosophy and his thoughts commit us to follow the path of truth and charity and to build a harmonious society."
     Adityanath, while addressing a programme at Ravidas Mandir in Jafar Khera , here on the 648th birth anniversary of Sant Shiromani Satguru Ravidas Ji Maharaj, emphasised the significance of karma. Paying floral tributes to the saint’s statue, the chief minister stressed that Ravidas Ji’s teachings focused on spiritual purity and dedication to work.
     He referred to the Bhagavad Gita, saying, "Karma determines one’s destiny," and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for elevating India’s global status through 'Karma Sadhana' over the past 11 years.
     Adityanath also highlighted the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, where over 47 crore devotees have participated in the sacred dip. He mentioned several infrastructure developments in the region, including the expansion of roads and construction of new facilities for devotees.
     Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also paid respect on X, stating, "Millions of salutations to the great social reformer, Sant Shiromani Shri Guru Ravidas ji on his holy birth anniversary, and heartfelt best wishes to the people of the state."
     Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati also paid tributes to Santguru Ravidas. In a statement, she highlighted BSP's efforts in creating the Sant Ravidas district, which was renamed by the Samajwadi Party (SP) government due to "an act driven by casteism and political hatred."
     She criticised the SP and BJP for not restoring the district's original name, calling their actions divisive.
     In her tribute, Mayawati emphasised Sant Ravidas' lifelong fight against caste discrimination and social injustice. She also listed several initiatives taken by the BSP government in honour of the saint, including the establishment of Sant Ravidas Park and Ghat in Varanasi, Sant Ravidas Government College in Faizabad, and the Sant Ravidas Samman Award.
     Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak attended the "Sant Shiromani Ravidas Jayanti Samaroh" in Lucknow, where he addressed the gathering and paid his respects to Guru Ravidas.
     The state government declared, February 12, a public holiday to commemorate the birth anniversary.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)