Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti on Saturday called for the renaming of Shahjahanpur district, labelling its current name a "symbol of slavery." Speaking in Aonla, where she was unveiling a statue of freedom fighter Rani Avantibai Lodhi, the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader said, "The name doesn't feel right." She urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to propose a new name for the district, stating she doesn't want to hear the current name again.
She also spoke about the Ram temple movement, saying that the Babri structure was an "issue of national insult" and that its demolition and the subsequent construction of the temple had restored national pride.
She praised former UP CM Kalyan Singh, calling him a "lion" for protecting Ram devotees. Regarding the temple sites in Mathura and Varanasi, she said Hindus would abide by court orders, while noting that Hindus have been asked to provide evidence for the birthplaces of their deities, unlike other religions.
Union Minister BL Verma also paid tribute to Rani Avantibai, accusing historians of doing her an injustice. He announced that one of the new PAC women's battalions in UP would be named after her. Other speakers, including UP Cabinet Minister Dharmpal Singh and MP Sakshi Maharaj, also took the stage.
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Dharmpal Singh took a jibe at Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's 'PDA' (pichda, Dalit, alpsankhyak) alliance, calling it "Parivar Development Authority" and accused the SP of protecting criminals.
Dharmpal Singh took a jibe at Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's 'PDA' (pichda, Dalit, alpsankhyak) alliance, calling it "Parivar Development Authority" and accused the SP of protecting criminals.
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