Ideas of Rana Pratap relevant even today, says UP CM Yogi

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that the ideas of 16th century Rajput king Maharana Rana Pratap, who waged a war against Mughals to save his kingdom, were relevant even in the present day times.
Speaking at a RSS function commemorating birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap, Yogi said that people remember the Mewar king even after 500 years since he did not conceded to the supremacy of Muslim rulers for the sake of self-esteem. "Rana ke vichaar aaj bhi prasangik hain and hum sab pe lagu hoti hai (Rana's ideas were relevant even in the present day times and apply on all of us),'' Yogi said, amid sloganeering of `Bharat Mata ki Jai' and `Jai Sri Ram'.

"Mitrata ki aad mein humare samman ke saath koi khilwad nahi kar sakta karega... (Friendship cannot come at the cost of self-esteem),'' Yogi said, insisting that the idea will continue to inspire the people of this country. ``Had Rana Pratap accepted Mughals supremacy we would not be remembering him as nation pride,'' the UP CM said. `"The battle of Haldi Ghati proved that it was not Akbar but Maharana Rana Pratap who was "Great'", he said.

Yogi said even the tribals, who are now often being referred to as "Dalits", had rallied behind Maharana Pratap in the war to save Mewar. "That is many tribals consider themselves as descendants of Maharana Pratap even today," he said.

Recalling his campaign in Gorakhpur during 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Yogi said that people in few tribal pockets in his parliamentary constituency voted for him since they considered themselves as Thakur and descendants of Rana Pratap.

"Many tribals still believe themselves as warriors and ready to fight against the forces which divide the nation on the basis of caste,’’ he said, claiming of instances of rebel tribes in the north east surrendering before the government while demanding to join the army during Kargil war. ``That’s nationalism which is there in the blood of the citizen of this country,’’ he said. ``Unfortunately, there are forces which are dividing people on the basis of caste and religion,’’ Yogi said.