BIHAR MIN TO HOLD PARTY MEETING, DISCUSS UP POLL STRATEGY

LUCKNOW: Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) led by Bihar animal husbandry minister Mukesh Sahani has decided to mobilise the party cadre for the 2022 assembly election in Uttar Pradesh. Sahani will chair a meeting of party office bearers and leaders at the state unit office in Lucknow on Thursday.

All the party office bearers, including those of district and divisional units, have been directed to attend the meeting, VIP state unit president Lautanram Nishad said. The party chief will discuss the strategy and other issues associated with the assembly election, besides collecting feedback from party leaders. The VIP had sought to make its presence felt in UP by organising programmes in various districts to mark the death anniversary of bandit-turned-politician Phooloan Devi on July 25.

Sahani had said the VIP would field candidates on various seats in the assembly election and fight for the rights of the “suppressed communities”. The VIP is wooing the boatmen community who constitute 18% of the OBC vote in UP.

LUCKNOW: A Varanasi-based lawyer and social activist Nityanand Rai, who says he was denied permission to see freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad’s ashes that are kept locked at Lucknow Zoo in view of rules and regulations due to security reasons, wants public viewing of the ashes to be made more convenient for visitors.

Rai, a practising lawyer at the Varanasi district court, has decided to take up the issue with the state government and file a writ petition in the high court if his concern is not addressed.

The urn carrying the ashes of Azad is kept locked in a room at the State Museum at Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden, popularly known as Lucknow Zoo. “I came all the way from Varanasi on August 19 (this year) only to see the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad which are kept at the State Museum in Lucknow Zoo,” said Rai.

“However,

I was highly dejected when I reached the State Museum and came to know that the urn carrying the ashes is locked in a room. I was informed that prior permission is required if anyone wants to see the ashes,” added Rai.

“I have handed over a written application seeking permission for this to the museum director,” Rai said. Rai was informed that due to security reasons, the urn carrying ashes of the legendary freedom fighter is locked in a room. The room is secured by two heavy locks.

“If the government fails to address the issue, then I will also file a writ in high court,” said Rai. He has decided to take up the issue with chief minister Yogi Adityanath as well. He also wants a samadhi sthal in Azad’s name at a ghat in Varanasi on the lines of the samadhi sthal of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in New Delhi. When contacted over the phone, AK Singh, director, State Museum, Lucknow Zoo, refused to share details related to public viewing of the urn and asked to visit the office.