India, Sept. 10 -- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday paid tribute to Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant on his 139th birth anniversary, recalling his contribution to India's freedom struggle, governance, land reforms and resolution of linguistic tensions after Independence.

Adityanath and Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna attended a programme in Lucknow where floral tributes were paid to Pant, the first chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Describing Pant as a distinguished lawyer and freedom fighter, the CM recalled his role in defending revolutionaries prosecuted by the British government following the 1925 Kakori train action.

"In 1925, when the British government registered a case against the revo...