Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and others pay tributes at the statue of Sant Ravidas at Seer Govardhan village in Varanasi on Wednesday. PTIUttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced to rename Bhadohi district as Sant Ravidas Nagar on the occasion of the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas.The district was renamed as Sant Ravidas Nagar by the then CM Mayawati during her 2007-2012 tenure while her successor Akhilesh Yadav reverted the decision by retaining the old name Bhadohi during the Samajwadi government’s term.Addressing an event organised by BJP at Seer Govardhan in Varanasi, the birthplace of Ravidas, the Chief Minister said the park where the programme was held will also be dedicated to Ravidas. In accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the airport in Jalandhar has been named after the saint, he added.The party’s national president Nitin Nabin was also to join the event, but his visit was cancelled at the last moment, BJp leaders said. Deputy CMs Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Maurya and state BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary were present on the occasion.The CM handed over urns containing sacred soil to the representatives from all the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh and from all the states. These representatives will take the urns to their respective districts and states to hold events with a message of spreading social harmony (samrasta), it was stated.The CM later garlanded the statue of Ravidas and inaugurated the Deepotsav programme by lighting lamps at Ravidas Ghat. He said the ‘Samrasta Sankalp Abhiyan’ will connect every village and household throughout the country.“We will take this process forward. The government has decided that canopies will be constructed over the statues installed at public places of Sant Ravidas, Maharishi Valmiki, Bhimrao Ambedkar, and other icons of social justice. The government will construct boundary walls for the protection of parks named after Sant Ravidas, Maharishi Valmiki, and Ambedkar, he added. Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution. Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape. Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:lucknowYogi Adityanath