Lucknow: Highlighting the valour of Maharaja Suheldev, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that he not only defeated invader Salar Masud, who had destroyed the Somnath temple, but gave him such a death that no one could dare repeat the same mistake thereafter. Inaugurating the golden jubilee celebrations of Bhartendu Natya Academy in Lucknow, the CM said: “Syed Salar Masud Ghazi, also known as Ghazi Miyan, a military commander who battled Rajputs on multiple occasions, was no less than a mafia don who was ground into dust.” “Maharaja Suheldev did not just stop the foreign invader who destroyed the Somnath temple but gave him such a death that no one dared to repeat the same mistake thereafter,” Yogi said. “Ghazi Miyan had destroyed four temples. Maharaja Suheldev guaranteed him the kind of death that is considered the worst in Islam. He was tied to a hot iron griddle and burned alive. In Islam, such a death is seen as a guaranteed ticket to ‘jahannum’ (hell),” the CM said, adding that until the same kind of treatment was meted out to oppressors, they would continue to undermine Indian culture. “It was because of the valour of leaders like Suheldev that no foreign invader could dare to think of attacking the country for the next 150 years after Ghazi Miyan’s death,” he said. Pointing towards the changed perception, Yogi said that the local community, which had forgotten the legendary king, now pay respect to him at his memorial.“In the past, a fair was organised at the ‘dargah’ of Salar Masood, and I was apprehended by the local administration and police whenever I attempted to celebrate the legacy of Suheldev during my tenure as Gorakhpur MP. Now, people no longer remember Ghazi Miyan and instead visit Maharaja Suheldev’s memorial,” Yogi remarked.The memorial dedicated to Suheldev was inaugurated a year ago and has emerged as a popular destination in Bahraich. The CM asked the officials of culture department to hold theatrical performances to recreate the contributions of iconic warriors like Maharaja Suheldev, Rani Lakshmibai, Avanti Bai, Jhalkari Bai, Uda Devi, Maharaja Bijli Pasi, and Maharaja Mahendra Pratap, among others. He said that the bravery of heroes who played a crucial role in the First War of Independence should be highlighted through powerful scripts and performances. “Our state has always been rich in artistic traditions such as singing, instrumental music, theatre and dance,” he said. Referring to Hariharpur village in Azamgarh, Yogi said that since local community members related to music, the govt had established a music school to train children. “In Maghar, Kabir Academy has been established, where programmes based on Kabir’s couplets will be organized,” he said. The CM announced that a three-day event based on the works of poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar would be organised in Lucknow from April 24. He also suggested that theatre event based on the literary works of Atal Bihari Vajpayee should be organized. “The country possesses a rich cultural legacy and must focus on preparing the younger generation to carry it forward,” he said. Sharing an anecdote from his visit to Mauritius, Yogi said, “People of Indian origin there preserve Ramcharitmanas as part of their cultural heritage and worship the Ramayan. Efforts should be made to remember great personalities who were neglected due to political reasons. Figures such as Maharaja Suheldev, Bijli Pasi and Rani Lakshmibai have been overlooked because of vote-bank politics.”
