LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday announced that Miyanpur village in the Mohammadi Assembly constituency of Lakhimpur Kheri district will be renamed Rabindranagar, while also distributing land ownership certificates to 331 Bangladeshi Hindu families, granting them legal rights over their land.
Addressing a gathering in Lakhimpur Kheri, the Chief Minister criticised the Congress, alleging that the village was named Miyanpur to “hide identity”. “There is not a single ‘Miyan’ here, yet it was named Miyanpur. This will now change,” he asserted.
Yogi added that the village would be renamed after Rabindranath Tagore, “who gave India its national anthem”, to reflect a new identity.
In Miyanpur, the Chief Minister distributed land ownership certificates to 331 Bangladeshi Hindu families, granting them legal rights over their land.
“Look at how wrongdoing speaks for itself. These people were rejected by Bangladesh and persecuted due to Pakistan’s actions. They came as displaced persons, and their ancestral properties were seized,” said Yogi.
He added that the Congress committed injustice. “They took your votes but never gave you ownership rights. To hide your identity, the village was named Miyanpur.”
“Now you will be identified with Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, who gave India its national anthem. Bengal is the land of India’s spiritual and cultural heritage. The national anthem was written by Rabindranath Tagore, and the national song by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,” said the Chief Minister while addressing the Bangladeshi Hindu families.
Earlier, in Palia, he handed over land ownership certificates to 4,356 families from the Tharu tribe and 2,350 families of freedom fighters’ dependents.
During the visit, Adityanath also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 538 development projects worth Rs 1,311 crore. This included the inauguration of 345 projects valued at Rs 356 crore and the laying of foundation stones for 193 projects worth Rs 955 crore.
While addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said: “Pakistan, through its actions, caused the Partition of India. That same Pakistan has itself been divided, and more divisions may follow. But who suffered the consequences? Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and Christians living there suffered, because no other community has a presence there.”
Addressing the Tharu community in Palia, the Chief Minister spoke about connecting them with industries and businesses.
Reassuring the community, he said that neither the Forest Department, police nor revenue officials would interfere in people’s rights anymore. “Illegal land grabbing and manipulation will be stopped,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that several generations had struggled for land rights. Families of freedom fighters and the Tharu community were deprived for decades, but now this long struggle is being fulfilled.
Yogi said that people who sacrificed everything during the freedom struggle were later denied their rights.
He reminded the gathering how, during British rule, their lands were seized, they were tortured, sent to Cellular Jail (Kala Pani), executed, or exiled without trial.
After Independence, they were resettled but were not given ownership rights, he said.
He added that the Tharu community was promised land in 1976 but did not receive ownership. Similarly, freedom fighters settled in eastern Uttar Pradesh in 1955 were also denied rights.
“Those who sacrificed for the nation were deprived even in independent India,” he said.
Yogi said previous governments lacked sensitivity and prioritised family interests over public welfare.
“They divided society, took away your rights and resources, and created an identity crisis. But today, the double-engine government is giving shape to your dreams by granting land rights.”
He said that earlier, development was concentrated in one place.
“Today, 25 crore people are our family. Earlier, development and planning were centred only in Saifai, where one family benefited at the cost of the poor.”
The Chief Minister also said that the cases filed against members of the Tharu community during the Samajwadi Party government would be withdrawn.
He alleged that the previous government protected criminals and filed false cases against innocent people. “I assure you, no one will be able to oppress you now,” he said.