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Key Points

Mayawati commemorated Shahu Maharaj's birth anniversary by demanding the restoration of his name to Lucknow's medical university. She criticized both SP's past renaming and BJP's inaction while praising the Maratha ruler's historic reservation reforms. The BSP chief contrasted her government's Dalit-friendly policies with current "casteist attitudes" in UP. Her statement framed the name change as symbolic of broader struggles for Dalit rights under majority rule.

Key Points: Mayawati Urges Yogi to Restore Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj University Name

  • Mayawati slams SP for renaming Dalit icon's university
  • Honors Shahu Maharaj as reservation pioneer
  • Accuses BJP of delaying name restoration
  • Highlights BSP's pro-Dalit governance legacy
3 min read

The sooner this is done, the better: Mayawati demands restoration of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj University's original name

BSP chief Mayawati demands BJP govt rename Lucknow medical college, honors Shahu Maharaj's reservation legacy on his birth anniversary.

"The sooner this is done, the better - Mayawati"

Lucknow, June 26

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday paid heartfelt tributes to Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj on his birth anniversary, hailing him as the pioneer of reservation in India.

In a post on X, Mayawati urged the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh to restore the original name of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj Medical University without further delay, which had been renamed during the Samajwadi Party's tenure.

"The sooner this is done, the better," she said.

https://x.com/Mayawati/status/1938092681390899218

Mayawati remembered the progressive ruler of Maharashtra's Kolhapur for his "revolutionary step of granting reservation in jobs to Dalits" and said he had become immortal in Indian history.

"On his birth anniversary today, I offer heartfelt tributes and boundless reverence to him, along with warm congratulations and best wishes to all his followers," the BSP Chief added.

In a politically charged statement, she also said that the Dalits, tribals, and backwards classes in India were being systematically "rendered ineffective" in their constitutional right to reservation.

She added, "In the absence of their own BSP government and the emergence of the majority as the ruling class, efforts are being made to make them helpless, compelled, and enslaved again."

Mayawati stressed that in such times, remembering Rajarshi Shahu's humane values and historic role in establishing justice became more important.

She highlighted that during her four terms as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the BSP government had "undertaken numerous works of historical significance" in honour of Shahu Maharaj.

She pointed out that the BSP had named a new district and educational institutions and erected grand statues in his memory. She specifically mentioned the establishment and swift operationalisation of the Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj Medical University in Lucknow.

However, Mayawati strongly criticised the Samajwadi Party government, accusing it of being "opposed to Dalits, backwards classes, and their reservation rights." She said the SP government had forcibly renamed the university to King George Medical University, despite the existence of a similarly named college already in Lucknow.

"It is unfortunate that even after such a long time, the BJP government that came to power in UP after the Samajwadi Party has not yet made the necessary changes/reforms in the public interest to address such a deeply malicious and casteist attitude of the Samajwadi Party," Mayawati said.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Finally someone speaking sense! Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was a visionary who worked for social justice. The university's name should never have been changed in the first place. BJP government should act quickly on this. 🙏
P
Priya M.
While I respect Mayawatiji's sentiments, isn't this just political posturing? There are more pressing issues in UP like unemployment and infrastructure. Why focus on name changes when people need jobs?
S
Sanjay T.
Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj's contributions to social equality are undeniable. But let's not forget - a university's quality matters more than its name. Hope the government focuses on improving medical education standards too.
A
Anjali P.
As someone from Maharashtra, I'm proud that our Shahu Maharaj is being honored in UP. His legacy of reservation helped millions. But political parties should stop using his name just for votes. Let's honor him through actions, not just words.
V
Vikram S.
The name change issue shows how petty our politics has become. First SP changes it, now BSP wants it changed back. Meanwhile, students suffer with poor facilities. Can't we have one year without these name game politics? 😒
N
Neha R.
Historical figures like Shahu Maharaj deserve respect, but let's not make this a caste issue. His vision was for unity, not division. All parties should work together to implement his ideals of education for all.

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