Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually lay the foundation stone of Maharaja Suheldev Memorial and development works at historical Chittaura Lake in Bahracich district on his birth anniversary on February 16.
After a grand show to celebrate Chauri Chaura centenary, the Uttar Pradesh government is organizing a big event on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Suheldev. The Chief Minister Yogi Aditayanth will be the chief guest at the event to be addressed by the Prime Minister.
After breaking away with its ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), the main aim of the ruling BJP behind the mega event is to keep it’s Rajbhar (a backward caste) vote-bank intact in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The SBSP had a pre-poll allianve with the BJP in 2017 Assembly polls and it had won four seat.
The SBSP Party Chief Om Prakash Rajbhar was given a berth in the Yogi Cabinet. But before 2019 Lok Sabha, BJP sacked Rajbhar and broke alliance with SBSP. Three of SBSP MLAs are still supporting the Yogi Adityanath government in the state. Of late, SBSP Chief is hobnobbing with Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM and trying to form an alliance with smaller parties against the BJP.
Maharaja Suheldev is an icon to SBSP as Ambedkar is to BSP and now BJP wants to snatch away that icon from its ally. It is in this background, the BJP is organizing the grand event in Bahraich to lay the foundation stone of Maharaj Suheldev’s memorial with his magnificent equestrian statue.
The PM will also lay the foundation stone for the development of Chittaura Lake associated with the backward King who had defeated Syed Salaar Masood in a battle at the banks of the historical Lake in 1033 AD.
A senior officer said that the Lake will be developed as a tourist spot with amenities like Guest House, Cafeteria, Children’s Park etc. “The main aim is to let people know about the heroic saga of Maharaja Suheldev and his devotion and services to the country,” said the officer.
The Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to announce a few development programs for Bahraich and adjoining Shravasti, the area ruled by Maharaja Suheldev. The BJP has already issued a postage stamp and a train in the name of the ruler. The BJP is also projecting the King as a devoted Hindu and savior of cows.
