Demolition of platform built for Hari Shankar Tiwari's statue re-ignites Brahmin vs Thakur rivalry in Gorakhpur; SP attempts to woo former

A political slugfest is brewing in Gorakhpur as a result of the demolition of a platform that was constructed for a statue of the don-turned-politician Hari Shankar Tiwari, re-igniting the old feud between the Tiwari and Adityanath families which seemed to have simmered down after the demise of Hari Shankar Tiwari.

Samajwadi Party MLAs raised slogans in the well of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on August 1 over the demolition of a platform built to install former Cabinet Minister Hari Shankar Tiwari’s statue in Gorakhpur.

As soon as the House met, SP leader Kamal Akhtar raised the issue in the assembly.

Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey said that the platform was constructed for installation of the statue after the village head wrote to the district magistrate and he was also given permission for the same.

The SP members entered the well of the House and raised slogans.

Speaker Satish Mahana said that as no notice was given on the issue he could not seek reply from the government.

When the SP members insisted, the Speaker said that he would ask the government to look into the matter.

Earlier, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav raised the matter through a post on X.

He said, "Till now, BJP's bulldozer used to run on shops and houses, now it has started running on the honour and respect of those who are not more as well. Getting the proposed site of installation of the statue of late Harishankar Tiwari, former Cabinet Minister of UP and seven times MLA from Chillupar, demolished by the BJP government is a highly objectionable act."

"The site should be immediately rebuilt so that the statue can be installed with respect on his birth anniversary day, August 5," he said.

Tiwari was a founding member of the Loktantrik Congress party and was a cabinet minister from 1997 to 2007 in Kalyan Singh, Ram Prakash Gupta, Rajnath Singh, Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav-led governments.

Tiwari was considered a political heavy weight and had established himself as a leader of Brahmins in the state.

With this issue, the Samajwadi Party intends to make its way into the hearts of Brahmins in the city. However, Akhilesh Yadav who demanded that the platform be reconstructed was allegedly missing when the Tiwari's statue was being unveiled on his birthday. He instead sent SP Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey instead.

While Gorakhnath Mutt's power is at its peak with Adityanath as the chief minister, Tiwari too for considered to be a tall leader in the city.

“Tiwari came to be known as the undisputed leader of Brahmins in eastern UP after he won the 1985 Assembly elections. Since the Chillupar seat is Brahmin-dominated, with the Dalits and Nishads too in good numbers, Tiwari managed to garner support across all three groups," Om Prakash Shukla told The Indian Express.

People of UP still hail Tiwari's contribution in making Haata, his residence, the power center of UP back in the 90s.

However, things changed for Tiwari, who ventured into politics in his student days, when Yogi Adityanath came to power in 2017. In the same year Gorakhpur Police raided the once invincible Haata and arrested six people who were allegedly aides of Tiwari.

Pertaining to the recent issue, the late leader's son Kushal said: “Do we now need permission of the government to breathe? A group of about a dozen pradhans had given an application for the installation of the statue."

Kushal also added that the statue was an initiative of the locals and that his family had no involvement in it.

In response, the BJP has accused SP of "electoral politics" as the saffron party's spokesperson said that there is no place for Brahmins on Samajwadi Party's politics.

(With PTI inputs)