From seers, deities to ideologues: Icons after whom the Yogi govt named its new hospitals

NEW DELHI: The Yogi Adityanath government has claimed a new record when Prime Minister Narendra Modi simultaneously inaugurated nine medical colleges on his visit to Siddharthnagar on Monday.
These colleges in Siddharthnagar, Deoria, Etah, Hardoi, Ghazipur, Mirzapur, Pratapgarh, Fatehpur and Jaunpur have been named after seers, freedom fighters or other icons from the saffron pantheon.Some may say what is in a name but in Uttar Pradesh every symbolism, especially when elections are just months away, has a strong political subtext.

1) : The government hospital in Siddharth Nagar has been named after the Jana Sangh leader who was also a close associate of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was strongly linked with the RSS and became its pracharak. He was also elected to the Lok Sabha from Domariaganj in 1977. He is considered a mentor to several top leaders of the present day BJP.
2) : He was a mystic who was revered across sections in Uttar Pradesh and even had top politicians among followers. Former prime minister Indira Gandhi was among those who sought his blessings. The seer would sit upon a wooden platform from where he would bless his devotees. The Adityanath government has named the hospital in Deoria after him.
3) : She was a queen who challenged the British rule in the 1850s and achieved an iconic status. She came from the family of Lodh Rajput community and is especially revered by them. Former chief minister Kalyan Singh also belonged to the community. The Adityanath government has named the hospital in Etah after 'Veerangana' Avantibai Lodhi.
4) : He is one of the most revered saints in Hindu mythology. His name finds mention in epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. He is credited to have authored parts of the Vedas. The Uttar Pradesh government has named the hospital in Ghazipur after him.
5) : He was a political leader from Uttar Pradesh who fought against casteism and social inequality. Initially associated with the BSP he formed the Apna Dal which holds sway in several Uttar Pradesh district. His daughter Anupriya Patel named her party Apna Dal (Sonelal) and is now a member of the Union council of ministers in the Modi government. The hospital in Pratapgarh is named after him.
6) : The hospital in Mirzapur has been named after the deity who is believed to be a benevolent aspect of Durga. Her temple on the banks of river Ganges near Mirzaour draws lakhs of devotees every year.
7) : He was a social worker and politcian who also became a minister in the Kalyan Singh led Uttar Pradesh. The hospital in Jaunpur has been named after him.
8) : The hospital in Fatehpur is named after these freedom fighters who fought the British rule in the country valiantly. They are revered in several states.
Apart from these, the Yogi Adityanath government has also also started a hospital in Hardoi.
The Adityanath government had in the past changed the name of town Allahabad to Prayagraj. While the opposition parties had criticised the move, the BJP had strongly backed it. There have been reports that the government has considered changing the name of several other cities as well.