A day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath opposed the glorification of warrior-saint Syed Salar Masud Ghazi, Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Bahraich Anand Gond on Wednesday demanded an Archaeological Survey of India of the premises of Masud's Dargah, claiming the existence of a "Surya Kund" there.
Gond also claimed that the Dargah premises was the meditation site of Maharaja Suheldev's guru, Rishi Balark.
Addressing a gathering in the presence of Adityanath on Tuesday, Gond had referred to a well in the Dargah complex as "Surya Kund" and said it held historical and spiritual significance.
He urged the state and central governments to restore the site and install a statue of Rishi Balark there.
Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Gond said, "The people of Bahraich have been making this demand for decades. Maharaja Suheldev, the valiant king who defeated foreign invaders, was guided by his guru Rishi Balark, a devout worshipper of the Sun God. Surya Kund was his place of worship and has religious importance. People believe bathing in its water cures skin diseases."
He added that the well is currently in a dilapidated condition and should be renovated.
"It should be developed as a grand site in honour of Rishi Balark, and an ASI survey should be conducted to facilitate further development. Honouring Rishi Balark would help preserve his legacy," he said.
Maharaja Suheldev, an icon of the Rajbhar community, had defeated and killed Ghaznavid general Masud in a battle on the banks of the Chittora Lake in Bahraich in 1033 AD.
The dargah built over Masud's grave has traditionally hosted a large annual fair in the Hindu month of Jyeshtha, but this year the district administration cancelled the event citing law and order concerns.
On Tuesday, Adityanath had inaugurated a memorial and statue of Maharaja Suheldev in Chittora, Bahraich.
In his address, the chief minister praised both Maharaja Suheldev and his guru Rishi Balark, and strongly criticised Salar Masud, calling him a foreign invader.
"Freedom from colonial mentality means putting a complete ban on events held in the name of Salar Masud," Adityanath had said.
He asserted, "No programmes will be held in the name of foreign invaders. The main celebrations in Bahraich will revolve around Maharaja Suheldev, Rishi Balark, and the deity Maa Pateshwari, not on the names of invaders."
Several right-wing organisations like the VHP have claimed Surya Kund to be the site of Rishi Balark's penance.
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