Chandigarh: Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti celebrations concluded across Haryana on Monday, marked by tributes to the sage, Rs 46 lakh in grants for community hostels, and key announcements by the state leadership.Addressing a gathering organised by the Maharishi Valmiki Ashram and Valmiki Sabha at Thanesar in Kurukshetra, governor Prof Ashim Kumar Ghosh described Maharishi Valmiki as a symbol of Indian literature, culture, and human consciousness.Highlighting how the Ramayana serves as a timeless guide for social harmony, the governor laid the foundation stone for two rooms at the Bhagwan Valmiki Hostel in Thanesar and announced a grant of Rs 15 lakh toward its construction.Simultaneously, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini led state-level celebrations at Sant Kabir Kutir under the Sant Mahapurush Prachar-Prasar Yojana. Paying floral tributes, the CM announced a grant of Rs 31 lakh for an under-construction Valmiki hostel in Hisar, adding that he would perform its foundation-laying ceremony soon.Saini emphasised that the sage’s teachings form the core of the govt’s welfare agenda: eliminating caste-based discrimination and promoting social equality. Outlining key youth initiatives, he noted that SC student scholarships are now being transferred directly into bank accounts and highlighted the recent selection of 604 community candidates in the Haryana Police recruitment drive.In Kurukshetra, social justice and empowerment minister Krishan Kumar Bedi launched a political offensive against opposition parties, alleging they were spreading misinformation regarding govt schemes. Bedi said Union home minister Amit Shah’s roadshow in Karnal on Nov 5 will counter these claims and showcase govt’s achievements in social welfare, education, and infrastructure.
