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Amethi villages adopted by Manohar Parrikar want statues in his memory
Both these villages – Baraulia in 2015 followed by Hariharpur in 2017 – were adopted by Parrikar, the then defence minister, after he became a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh.
Baraulia and Hariharpur villages situated in Congress bastion Amethi shared a special bond with Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
Both these villages – Baraulia in 2015 followed by Hariharpur in 2017 – were adopted by Parrikar, the then defence minister, after he became a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh.
Soon after, these villages not only got roads, schools, solar lights, skill development camps, but also witnessed beautification of government primary schools and ponds. Parrikar constantly remained in touch with residents of both the villages, inviting many of them to Delhi to discuss how he could help bring big ticket projects there.
After his demise, Amethi residents are planning to approach Union minister Smriti Irani and chief minister Yogi Adityanath to construct Parrikar’s statues in both the villages.
“If the statues can come up through government help and funding, it would be nice. Else we will collect funds,” said Surendra Pratap Singh, former gram pradhan (village head) of Baraulia village.
After a devastating fire in the village in 2014, Smriti Irani had visited Amethi after losing the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and promised to help the villagers. Parrikar, however, never visited Baraulia.
But during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Parrikar came to campaign in Hariharpur, a village with a mixed population of about 2500, including 115 families of trained RSS workers.
“During his visit I had organised an interaction with RSS families, but he remembered me even after that. In fact two years later, he called me to Delhi to discuss various projects for the constituency. This village underwent a turnaround of sorts because of his efforts,” recalls Rama Shankar Shastri, an RSS worker who lives in Hariharpur.
Shastri also wants Parrikar’s statue in his village to ‘cement’ the bond.
“I am a low-key worker. I have never met a top politician who could be so down-to-earth, simple and caring. When I went to meet him, he even remembered that my hair had turned more grey since our previous meeting,” he recalled.
“Work on a 2.5-kilometer road that the village got through Parrikar’s efforts is in progress here. He also promoted the plantation of medicinal and aromatic plants,” informed Shastri.
A few kilometres away in Baraulia, which Parrikar had adopted on the recommendation of Union minister Smriti Irani, Surendra Pratap Singh, the former gram pradhan (village head) became emotional while talking about the leader. “It’s like losing a family member. We are in mourning,” said Singh in a choked voice over the phone. A community centre, pucca roads, solar lights, toilets were among the several things that were built in the village because of him,” he added.
“Through his personal efforts and the CSR fund of HAL, which he headed as the country’s defence minister, Parrikarji ensured that development work was done here. He was a tall leader whose simplicity was amazing,” said BJP leader Uma Shankar Pandey.
