UP CM Yogi pays tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh, praising his land reforms and rural development

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath , deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, and other leaders paid tribute to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his death anniversary in Lucknow on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Yogi Adityanath said, "...As the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the steps he took for land reform, rural development and transparency of governance in Uttar Pradesh can still be heard and seen in our villages... The steps taken for rural development and the upliftment of farmers in the last 11 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi are proving to be revolutionary. I pay my humble tribute to him on behalf of the people of the state."

Meanwhile, Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his death anniversary at Kisan Ghat in Delhi on Thursday.

Speaking at the solemn occasion, he remembered Singh's lifelong dedication to farmers and rural India, and urged the farming community to move beyond production and enter agricultural trade.

While talking to the media, Vice President Dhankhar said, "The entire life of Chaudhary Saheb was dedicated to the farmers and villages. He worked for the farmers even in pre-Independent India... He played a pivotal role in granting the ownership to those farmers working in agricultural fields, but didn't have rights over it..."

Chaudhary Charan Singh was born in 1902 at Noorpur in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh, in a middle-class peasant family. He shifted to Meerut in 1929 and later joined the Congress. He was first elected to the UP Legislative Assembly in 1937 from Chhaprauli and represented the constituency in 1946, 1952, 1962, and 1967. He became parliamentary secretary in Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant's government in 1946 and worked in various departments such as revenue, medical and public health, justice, information, etc.

He was a pivotal figure in the Janata Party. He was not only a seasoned politician but also a prolific writer. His literary works, which include writings on land reforms and agricultural policies, reflect his commitment to societal welfare and economic reforms.

He was renowned as the chief architect of land reforms in Uttar Pradesh. His efforts led to the enactment of crucial land reform bills, such as the department redemption bill of 1939 and the land holding act of 1960, which aimed to address issues of land distribution and agricultural sustainability.