Multiple events in UP on former PM Vajpayee's birth anniversary

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government will host multiple events to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday.

Kavi Sammelans, plays and debates will be held across the state to celebrate Vajpayee's life, who was himself a prolific poet.

A week-long campaign to provide tap water connections to every household in the state will also be carried out from December 25-31.

The day will begin with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paying floral tributes to Vajpayee at Lok Bhawan. Through the day, various cultural programmes dedicated to the former Prime Minister will be organised in several cities.

A short play on the life of Vajpayee will also be staged. The department of culture has organised an Atal Geet Ganga programme in Agra's Bateshwar where artists will recite poems written by Vajpayee.

In another programme in Balrampur, poets like Mukul Mahan, Shiv Kumar Vyas, Shashi Shreya, Yogi Yogesh Shukla and Shreyas Tripathi will recite Vajpayee's poetry.

The Lok Bhawan in Lucknow itself will be lit up on the occasion when Yogi Adityanath inaugurates dynamic facade lighting at the government office premises, where a statue of Vajpayee has been installed at the entrance.

"Apart from normal days, on special occasions like Women's Day, Farmers' Day, Independence Day and Republic Day, theme-based lighting will make the building more visible. In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled a 25- feet tall statue of Vajpayee in the Lok Bhavan premises," said a government spokesman.

A speech by Vajpayee will also be played here. A special rendition of Vajpayee's poetry will be done in the voice of Hariharan and Jagjit Singh. More than 250 children have been invited to the programme.