A bust statue of legendary Naga freedom fighter and champion of indigenous faith Padma Bhushan Rani Gaidinliu from Manipur was installed in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Maharaj.
The 3.5 ft bust statue of Rani Gaidinlu installed at a public park in Rail Vihar Colony was unveiled by Gorakhpur Mayor Sitaram Jaiswal on December 6, 2022, at a function attended by luminaries from Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, RSS, BJP, and other socio-cultural organisations of Gorakhpur.
Speaking on the occasion, Jaiswal said, "Rani Gaidinliu is a true daughter of Mother Bharat. She relentlessly fought against the British for the freedom of our country. On another front, she opposed the conversion crusade of Christian missionaries who were in league with Christian terrorists".
The Mayor further said, "The story of the freedom struggle of Rani Gaidinliu is a golden chapter of Bharat's history. The life of Rani Gaidinliu is a source of inspiration for all of us like Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi".
Prof Prithviraj Singh, RSS chief of Goraksh Prant said, "People in other parts of the country generally believe that all Nagas are Christian and all Christian Nagas are anti-national. But this is not a fact. Neither all Nagas are Christian nor are all Christian Nagas anti-Indian. There are handfuls of misguided youths who are spearheading the secessionist armed struggle at gunpoint and those who oppose them are gunned down.
"Earlier, Jagdamba Mall, a senior Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram activist who spent many years in Nagaland, highlighted the salient features of the freedom struggle that was led by Rani Gaidinliu against British occupation and Christian conversion".
The function was marked by the Zeliangrong Heraka devotional song followed by the Heraka dance presented by Naga students of Shri Ram Vanvasi Chhatrawas, Gorakhpur.
The function started with offering floral tributes to the statue of Rani Gaidinliu amidst the chanting of Ved mantras by the Brahmin priest followed by garlanding of the statue by Jaiswal.
The function was organized under the joint auspices of Sewa Samarpan Sanathan, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Municipal Corporation, Gorakhpur.
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