Lucknow: Rich tributes were paid to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on the occasion of their birth anniversary here Tuesday.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath garlanded the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Ashram in Hazratganj area of the state capital. Floral tributes were also paid to the statue of Bapu at GPO Park.

Later, the UP governor and chief minister garlanded and paid floral tributes to the statue of Lal Bahadur Shastri at Shastri Bhawan here.

Adityanath said, "Lal Bahadur Shastri appeared soft from the outside, but was courageous inside. In 1965 India-Pakistan war, he forced Pakistan to kneel."

Naik and Adityanath attended the 'Swachata hi Sewa' programme held on the occasion at Awadh Shilpgram. They also flagged off a publicity vehicle of the khadi department.

Speaking on this occasion, Adityanath said, "In 2014, the coverage of Swachh Bharat Mission was 23 per cent in the state and 64 per cent in the country. Now, the coverage has gone upto 94 per cent nationally and more than 99 per cent in the state."

He added that today more than 85,000 revenue villages and 34 districts were declaring themselves open defecation free.

"Work is going on war footing to declare the entire state open defecation free by November 30," the UP Chief Minister said, adding, "We can realise rural self-reliance through solar charkhas (yarn spinning device), and housewives can also earn through it." Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma also spoke on this occasion. (PTI)

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