BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday said if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh, her party will rename Bhadohi as Sant Ravidas Nagar.
In a statement issued in New Delhi, she said, "As soon as the BSP comes to power (in Uttar Pradesh), it will rename Bhadohi as Sant Ravidas Nagar. The previous Samajwadi Party government had changed its name due to its casteist mentality."
Listing the work done by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to keep the memory of Ravidas alive, Mayawati said, "Sant Ravidas Park and Ghat were made in Varanasi, his place of birth, his statue was installed in Varanasi and the Ravidas Samman Puraskar constituted. The Santguru Ravidas Rajkiya Mahavidyalay was established in Faizabad. Apart from this, Sant Ravidas Polytechnic was established in Chandauli. A bridge on river Ganga was named after the saint. Assistance was given for Sant Ravidas Dharamshala in Badaun."
In another tweet, she said, "The BSP, on the other hand, has been the only party, which during its government, gave respect to him at various levels, which the opposition parties are trying to put an end to. This is highly condemnable."