Jitin Prasada asks UP govt to declare Parshuram Jayanti state holiday

Congress leader and former Union minister Jitin Prasada on Monday demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government restore Parshuram Jayanti as a state holiday.

Prasada's request has come a day after BSP chief Mayawati announced that if voted to power, her party will build hospitals in the name of Parshuram and saints revered by other communities.

In a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Prasada said, "Parashuram is held in high esteem by the Brahmins, but your government cancelled the holiday on his Jayanti."

"I request you to restore the holiday in keeping with the sentiments of the Brahmins," he said.

He had last month announced that his 'Brahman Chetna Parishad' would work towards uniting all Brahmins in the state.

Mayawati on Sunday said, "If the BSP comes to power, it will build hospitals and guest houses in the name of Brahmin saint Parshuram as well as saints revered by other castes and communities."

She also criticised the Samajwadi Party for wanting to woo Brahmins by building statues of Parshuram ahead of the 2022 assembly elections.

In the past few days, some Brahmin leaders of the Samajwadi Party have announced that a grand 108 feet high statue of Parshuram will be set up either in Lucknow or Lucknow-Agra expressway.