Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reached Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow to take part in events and projects as part of the central government’s year-long campaign to celebrate India’s 75 years of independence.
He inaugurated a three-day urban conclave event ‘Azadi@75 – New Urban India: Transforming Urban Landscape’ Conference-cum-Expo, being hosted by UP’s urban development department.
Modi’s visit came amid a major uproar in the state and elsewhere over the death of at least eight persons, including farmers and a local journalist, during violent clashes at Lakhimpur Kheri district on Sunday.
Opposition leaders like Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the Prime Minister over his scheduled programmes for the day. Modi visited the conclave being held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath were also present at the event.
The PM would lay foundation stones and open 75 urban development projects in the state Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT during the day. Events are being organised across the country as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.