SP MLA writes letter in blood protesting delay in installation of freedom fighter's statue in Kanpur

Kanpur: Samajwadi Party legislator Amitabh Bajpai on Sunday publicly wrote a letter in blood, protesting the alleged delay in installing the statue of freedom fighter Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi in Kanpur.

"Murti kahan hai? Kab lagegi? (Where is the statue? When will it be installed?)," he wrote in the letter, standing barefoot and wearing only a vest near the platform built for the statue at the Mall Road memorial site.

Bajpai, the MLA from Kanpur's Arya Nagar constituency, later announced that the blood-written message would be sent to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath by post on Monday.

This comes a week after Bajpai removed his kurta and slippers in public over the alleged delay in rebuilding a demolished primary school in Kanpur's Permat area.

He has vowed to remain barefoot and without a kurta until the school building is reconstructed, alleging that land mafias were eyeing the school property after the old structure was demolished.

Bajpai who is one of three MLAs in Kanpur -- five others being from the BJP -- has accused the administration of inaction in the matter.

The SP MLA claimed he had written several letters earlier demanding installation of the statue, but no action was taken.

"This time I wrote the letter in blood so that perhaps this colour will be recognised," Bajpai said, adding that he hoped his struggle would finally yield results.

Without naming anyone directly, he alleged that "a person known for carrying slippers in hand and using abusive language publicly" had kept the statue in his possession and termed the delay an insult to Kanpur's legacy and democratic values.

"This is not just about a statue. It is about Kanpur's identity, history and self-respect," Bajpai said, demanding immediate installation of the statue and action against those responsible for the delay.

He claimed the matter had earlier been raised with the district magistrate and that an inspection was also conducted by then Additional DM (City) Rajesh Kumar, but no concrete action followed.

Bajpai also demanded that the Mall Road metro station also be renamed "Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Station" and warned of a larger public movement if the issue remained unresolved.