Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday paid floral tribute to the statue of Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi on her birth anniversary and described her as one of the greatest revolutionaries of India’s First War of Independence in 1857.“The contribution, penance, sacrifice and martyrdom of women warriors continue to inspire everyone. Today marks her 196th birth anniversary. She was only 27 years old in 1857. At such a young age, she made the ultimate sacrifice in the struggle for freedom and set an example for generations to come. Her sacrifice for freedom remains an inspiration for the youth,” he said.“She was one of the greatest figures of India’s freedom struggle who dedicated her life to the nation. She did not hesitate to sacrifice everything for the cause of freedom. The war for the country’s independence against the British was fought under the leadership of Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi, and people continue to pay homage to her memory with great reverence,” the CM said.“To ensure that the ideals of Rani Avanti Bai serve as an inspiration for Uttar Pradesh, our govt accelerated the formation of three new women’s battalions of the UP PAC and named them after these women warriors. A new PAC battalion has been established in Badaun in the name of Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi. The work is almost complete,” he said.The installation of an equestrian statue of Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai there is in final stage. In Lucknow, work on the women’s PAC battalion established in the name of Veerangana Uda Devi Pasi is also progressing on a war footing. In Gorakhpur, work on a new PAC battalion named after Veerangana Jhalkari Bai Kori is progressing rapidly,” he said.The CM said there was a time when questions regarding the safety of women used to arise in Uttar Pradesh.“The recruitment of women has been made mandatory to the extent of 20% in the Uttar Pradesh Police force. In 2017, there were only 10,000 women in the Uttar Pradesh Police force; that number has now risen to more than 45,000,” he said.“Women’s empowerment is not merely a slogan; the dignity of women is being protected so that they can contribute to realising the dreams of Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat, with a commitment to the principle of putting the nation first, while ensuring their safety, dignity and self-reliance,” Yogi added.
