Maharana Pratap not given his due in history: Rajnath

Parveen Arora

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Tribune News Service

Kalayat (Kaithal), May 9

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today questioned historians for not referring to legendary king Maharana Pratap as a great warrior and asked them to give a serious thought to his contributions.

He addressed a well-attended gathering at the grain market here during a state-level function organised to mark the 477th birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap. He said, “We have no objection to referring to Akbar as great, but why Maharana Pratap is also not called great. Maharana Pratap has not been given his due in history and the mistake should be rectified”.

He said the history of Maharana Partap should be taught to students and asked historians to work on it. Besides, he exhorted the youth to follow in the footsteps of Maharana Pratap for making India a great country.

Rajnath said Maharana gave inspiration to the youth of the country to raise their voice against the British. “Besides the birth anniversary of Maharana on Tuesday, it is also the eve of the first freedom struggle that took place on May 10, 1857,” he added. Maharana scarified his life for the country and fought for self respect.

He asked people not to bound Maharana in caste and religion as he was a great warrior of the country. Even foreigners had acknowledged him as a great warrior.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma announced a college named after Maharana Pratap in Kalayat and assured the gathering that classes would be started there from this session.

Rajnath said the Union government had been working for the welfare of people. No one could point a finger at the three-year rule of the Narendra Modi-led government as it had been focusing on skill development in the country, besides making efforts to double the income of farmers by 2022. “We are determined to provide housing to for all by 2022,” he added.

“We have been giving a befitting reply to Pakistan in its language. Our aim is to spread the feeling of national self respect among people,” he said.

Kurukshetra MP Raj Kumar Saini, Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal Gurjar and Chief Parliamentary Speaker (CPS) Shyam Singh Rana also spoke about the contributions of Maharana Pratap.

Col Davinder Singh (retd.), president of the Haryana Rajput Pratinidhi Sabha, urged Rajnath to take steps to stop the misuse of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes Act in the country. Besides, he also requested him for the Cabinet minister rank for Shyam Singh Rana.