Lucknow Residents Steal Roadside Flower Pots Hours After PM Modi’s Event

A viral video from Lucknow has sparked widespread discussion after showing several residents openly carrying away large decorative flowerpots placed along the roadside for a high-profile event attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 25, 2025. The footage, which surfaced hours after the inauguration of the Rashtra Prerna Sthal complex, captures people loading the pots onto two-wheelers and carrying them on foot, seemingly without any intervention from security or local authorities. Some individuals were also seen taking away promotional cutouts of PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that had been erected for the occasion.

The incident took place shortly after PM Modi, accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Governor Anandiben Patel, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, inaugurated the Rashtra Prerna Sthal—a sprawling 65-acre memorial and cultural complex built at a cost of Rs 230 crore to honor former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 101st birth anniversary. The site features 65-foot-tall bronze statues of Vajpayee along with BJP ideologues Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, as well as a lotus-shaped, state-of-the-art museum spanning 98,000 square feet dedicated to their contributions to nation-building.

The flowerpots and cutouts were part of the elaborate beautification and promotional arrangements made for the dignitaries' visit. The video has triggered mixed reactions online, with many expressing shock and disappointment at the apparent lack of civic responsibility, while others pointed to it humorously as an example of “jugaad,” or resourceful opportunism. Local authorities have not yet issued an official statement or confirmed any action taken against those involved, though the viral nature of the clip has put the incident under public scrutiny.

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The Rashtra Prerna Sthal is envisioned as a permanent national landmark aimed at inspiring leadership, national service, cultural awareness, and public motivation. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a Bharat Ratna recipient and three-time prime minister, represented Lucknow in the Lok Sabha for five consecutive terms (1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2004). He is remembered for his 13-day stint in 1996, a 13-month term in 1998–1999, and a full five-year term from 1999 to 2004—the first non-Congress leader to achieve this feat. The complex stands as a tribute to his legacy and that of other key figures in Indian political history.

The episode has reignited conversations about public behavior during major state events and the challenges of maintaining civic decorum in urban spaces. As the video continues to circulate widely on social media, it serves as an unexpected postscript to what was intended to be a solemn and celebratory occasion honoring one of India’s most respected leaders.

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