VHP demands Delhi be renamed 'Indraprastha', writes to minister Kapil Mishra
New Delhi (PTI): The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday demanded that Delhi be renamed 'Indraprastha' to connect the national capital with its ancient history and culture.
In a letter to Delhi Culture Minister Kapil Mishra, the Delhi unit of the VHP has also demanded renaming Indira Gandhi International Airport as Indraprastha International Airport, Delhi Railway Station as Indraprastha Railway Station and Shahjahanabad Development Board as Indraprastha Development Board.
"The name of Delhi should be changed back to Indraprastha so that the name of the capital can be associated with its ancient history and culture," VHP Delhi prant secretary Suredra Kumar Gupta said in the letter.
"Names aren't mere changes; they mirror a nation's consciousness. When we say Delhi, we only see a period of 2,000 years. But when we say Indraprastha, we connect with a glorious history spanning 5,000 years," he said.
The VHP functionary demanded that Delhi's heritage walk should include forts, temples, and monuments of Hindu kings to ensure a "balanced presentation" of the city's overall history.
"Wherever there are memorials to Muslim invaders, Hindu heroes, sages, and sites from the Pandava period should also be introduced and memorials should be built near them," he said.
A "grand memorial" in the name of King Hemchandra Vikramaditya and a King Hemchandra Vikramaditya Military School should be established in Delhi, Gupta said.
The history of Hemchandra Vikramaditya and Indraprastha during the Pandava period should be included in Delhi's education curriculum, he added.
In the letter, Gupta said that these demands have been made based on the suggestions given by scholars, historians and public representatives at an event, 'Indraprastha Punarjagran Sankalp Sabha', held recently here.
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Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa laid to rest with full state honours
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa was laid to rest with full state honours on Monday.
The 94-year-old former minister, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday, was cremated at the Kalleshwara Mill premises, following Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions.
Earlier in the day, Shivashankarappa's mortal remains were brought to his native Davanagere, where they were kept at the high school grounds for the public, his followers, and well-wishers to pay their last respects.
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Expressing deep sorrow over his demise, the Karnataka government ordered that his last rites be performed with full state honours.
Both the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council also mourned his passing, adjourning their sessions for the day after paying tributes.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, several ministers, opposition leaders, legislators, and political figures paid their respects.
A number of seers from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community also attended the last rites.
Shivashankarappa represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for some time before succumbing to age-related ailments.
The senior-most legislator in Karnataka, Shivashankarappa, was also one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the country, sources said.
He is survived by three sons, including S S Mallikarjun, the Karnataka Minister for Mines, Geology, and Horticulture, and four daughters. His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, is the Member of Parliament from Davanagere.
A six-time MLA, Shivashankarappa also served as a minister and an MP.
He was a prominent educationist, establishing several educational institutions, and was an industrialist.
Additionally, he served as the treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for decades and was the president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.
