Gift packs, name change call precede Smriti Irani’s Amethi temple run

Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday connected with her Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in a novel way as she stayed clear of making any political remarks while hitting the temple trail during Navratri. She covered all prominent temples of goddesses across all five assembly segments of Amethi from where she is set to challenge the Congress yet again in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, now about six months away.

Her temple run was preceded by two gestures, both high on religious symbolism in a region from where the Congress, despite having just lost thrice, has not yet officially cleared if senior leader Rahul Gandhi, a three-term former MP from Amethi, would again take on Smriti, a first-term Lok Sabha MP, from here.

The first of the two gestures included Smriti sending gift packs, with a photo of hers, to about 42 temples of her constituency, each containing fruits and other items required for conducting rituals during the ongoing Shardiya Navratri, the nine-day period Hindus consider auspicious.

“More will be sent. Didi keeps her connect with Amethi in different ways,” a local BJP leader said.

The Congress was quick to react. “For the BJP and its leaders, it might be something new but for us in the Congress, this has been a part of a tradition that dates back to decades.

They publicise such gestures but our leadership which treats the electorate as family, continues to engage with them silently,” said UP Congress chief Ajay Rai.

Before concluding her visit, Irani visited temples across her constituency, blowing conch shell, praying for “meri Amethi” and distributed ‘chunri (stoles)’ to young women – a gesture considered auspicious for women during Navratri. She also ordered officials to ensure cleanliness in and around temples.

Her other gesture preceding her visit was letters to Union home minister Amit Shah, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav and civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, demanding names of 7 railway stations and the lone airport at her Lok Sabha constituency to be replaced with those of goddesses and great leaders.

In her letter to senior ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, she has demanded that the name of Misrauli railway station be changed to Kalikan Dham and Akbarganj railway station to Ahorwa Bhavani, both names of goddesses after whom temples have been named in Amethi.

She has also sought name change of Jais railway station as Guru Gorakhnath Dham, an influential saint who was the founder of the Nath Hindu monastic order, to which chief minister Yogi Adityanath also belongs.

Smriti has also demanded that Bani railway station be named after Swami Paramhans, a prominent Hindu Yogi and saint, who stressed on universal oneness of all religions. She has demanded that Warisganj railway station be named after Bhale Sultan, a prominent warrior of the region. The name also refers to a tribe with a rich legacy that dotted the Amethi-Sultanpur belt.

Smriti Irani also demanded that the name of Nihalgarh railway station be changed to Maharaja Bijli Pasi or Virangana Uda Devi Pasi, two warrior leaders that Pasis, a Dalit sub-caste hold in high esteem. Smriti has also written to civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia seeking name change of the airport at Fursatganj in Tiloi area, suggesting it be named either after Guru Gorakhnath or Rana Beni Madho Singh, a warrior king from Rae Bareli who was known for his valour.