News Analysis India

Tag: faizabad

  • Faizabad man chosen for Padma Shri for being last rite samaritan lies bedridden, awaiting treatment

    By PTI
    AYODHYA: An 83-year-old Faizabad resident, who is said to have arranged last rites of over 25,000 unclaimed bodies in last 25 years and was chosen for a Padma Shri last year, is suffering from serious ailments but is unable to afford treatment due to poverty.

    Mohammad Shareef, also known as “messiah of lawarais lashen”, was found bed-ridden when this PTI correspondent visited his home in Mohalla Khirki Ali Beg on Thursday.

    With Shareef Chacha, as he is fondly called in his neighbourhood, lying virtually unconscious on his bed, his family members said they were still hoping for some pension to him against his award so that they could afford his treatment.

    ALSO READ | After son’s demise, cycle mechanic of Ayodhya giving dignity to unclaimed bodies

    Mohammad Shareef’s son Shageer said they had got a letter from the Union Home Ministry last year informing his father that he was chosen for the Padma Shri award.

    The letter dated January 31, 2020, from Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla further said the date for conferring the award upon him would be shortly communicated, said Shageer.

    He said his father was chosen for being conferred the award on the recommendation of BJP MP Lallu Singh from Faizabad.

    On being asked about the status of the award, Singh too expressed surprise and asked, “Has he still not received the award? Ok, I will look into it,” he promised.

    Shageer said he worked as a private driver and earned Rs 7,000 a month, while his father’s treatment alone costs over Rs 4,000 a month.

    “We are having very difficult times. We are unable to meet even household expenses. Due to the lack of money, we are not able to afford even proper treatment for my father,” he said.

    “Till recently, we depended upon a local doctor for his treatment. But due to the lack of money, we are not able to afford even that,” he rued.

  • VHP demands renaming of Faizabad to Sri Ayodhya

    The VHP Friday hailed the Uttar Pradesh Government’s decision to adopt a proposal to rename Allahabad as Prayagraj and demanded that the name of Faizabad be changed to “Sri Ayodhya”.

    VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma said the renaming of Allahabad aimed to free the mindset of slavery and added all sections of people had hailed this step of the State Government.

    “The Uttar Pradesh Government is taking steps in the interest of the people and their sentiments and its decision to change the name of Allahabad is praiseworthy… Now they need to change the name of Faizabad to Sri Ayodhya,” Sharma said.

    He said there were still a number of streets, buildings and districts which reminded them of the days of slavery.

    “We have got freedom from the British rule but their symbols still hurt the self respect of every Hindustani,” he said.

    The present Government needed to understand their feelings and free the coming generations from these symbols of slavery, he claimed.

    Sharma said the Adityantha Yogi-led Government could make an announcement about it on Diwali and please the seers of the temple town of Ayodhya.

    Earlier this week, the state Cabinet approved a proposal to rename the historic city of Allahabad as Prayagraj.

    Senior Minister Siddhartnath Singh had said the move would help highlight Indian culture at international level.

    BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla had praised the Government for rectifying a historical mistake but Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had criticised the move.

    Congress spokesman Omkar Singh had opposed the move, claiming the name change would affect the history in which Allahabad had played a significant role in the Independence struggle and later.