Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tributes to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his birth anniversary by garlanding a picture in front of his statue installed at the premises of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital here on Wednesday.

Addressing the programme, the chief minister said that Dr Mookerjee was a great educationist, freedom fighter, social worker and founder president of Bharatiya Jana Sangh.

“On behalf of the state government, I pay a humble tribute to this great son of Mother India for his services to the country,” the chief minister said.

The chief minister said that Dr Mookerjee had actively participated in the independence of the country and in view of his services, in the interim government formed after the independence of India, he was given the important responsibility of the ministry of industry and food department.

“Dr Mookerjee was one of the great freedom fighters of the country who exposed all the conspiracies of the British government aimed to weaken India,” he said.

The chief minister said that the remarkable services of Dr Mookerjee were remembered during the Bengal tragedy.

“If Kashmir is a part of India today, it is because of Dr Mookerjee’s struggle and sacrifice. He was the first to raise questions about two flags in one independent India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled the dream of Dr Mookerjee by abolishing Article 370 giving special status to Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

On this occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Lucknow Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia, public representatives and officials of the administration were present.