MLA donates Rs 5Cr land for Lord Parashuram’s temple

Kanpur: With the 2022 assembly polls fast approaching, politics has once again heated up in the state. Rival political parties eyeing Brahmin votes are invoking the name of ‘Lord Shree Parashuram’, a mythological figure considered to be a Brahmin icon. Now, a BJP MLA in Kanpur Dehat has donated land worth Rs 5 crores to build a temple of Lord Parashuram where a 20-ft-tall statue of the Lord will be established.
Earlier, the Samajwadi Party (SP) had announced plans to install the tallest statue of Lord Parashuram, who is revered by many Hindus, particularly Brahmins, at Janeshwar Mishra Park in Lucknow.
Now, a BJP MLA from Akbarpur-Rania assembly segment in Kanpur Dehat Pratibha Shukla has donated land worth Rs 5 crores to a trust to build a world class temple of ‘Lord Shree Parashuram’ in Kanpur Dehat district.
A statement issued by the MLA’s personal secretary, Ramji Mishra on Wednesday said, “A 20-ft-tall statue of Lord Shree Parashuram will be installed in the temple premises.”
She is the wife of former MP Anil Shukla Warsi.
Warsi had represented the 14th Lok Sabha in 2007 after winning a bye-election from Billhaur constituency on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket. Thereafter, he contested for 16th Lok Sabha election from Akbarpur constituency on BSP’s ticket in the 2014 general election but lost.
In 2015, he resigned from the BSP and along with wife Pratibha Shukla, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Former MP Warisi said, “Land worth Rs 5 crores has been donated to Bhagwan Shree Parashuram Nyas in Khanchandrapur Khadanja in Rania. A world class grand temple of ‘Lord Shree Parshuram’ would be built here.”
Pratibha Shukla, meanwhile, said, “Brahmins come from the enlightened class. Where everyone’s interests are protected, Brahmin goes there only.”
On being asked about the temple of Lord Parashuram, she said, “My husband (Anil Shukla Warsi), who is also the chairman of Parashuram Temple Trust, had resolved to build the temple in 2018 itself. Due to lack of cooperation from the people, the temple could not be built. Now, we are donating our land for the temple where a 20-ft statue of Lord Shree Parashuram will be established.”
According to Rishabh, the chief trustee of Bhagwan Shree Parashuram Nyas, ‘bhoomi pujan’ for the construction of the temple will be done on July 26.
“Eleven acharyas will worship the land with ‘Veda’ chanting. The rituals will start at around 11 am on July 26,” he added.
The map and design for the construction of the temple has been prepared.
Chief mahant of Gauraiyapur Ashram Desh Narain is likely to participate in the ‘bhoomi-pujan’ ceremony, said the chief trustee further.
Lord Shree Parashuram is described in some versions of the Mahabharata as the angry Brahmin who with his axe, killed a huge number of Kshatriya warriors because they were abusing their power.