After making it to headlines for varied reasons, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya is now protagonist and hero in a life history compiled as a book. Misal, authored by two journalists, is the story of the ‘‘hero of UP’s freedom’’ and Kshatriya pride.The book by Subash Upadhyaya and KK Singh was released at a function on Monday. Raja Bhaiyya was missing but Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh did the honours. The occasion also was the promotional for a video cassette with eight tracks by Deepak Tripathi on Raja Bhaiyya, the Hero of UP’s Freedom.Amar Singh confessed a ‘‘sense of pride’’ as he released the book, with a message from Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. The CM described the don-turned-politician as a ‘‘source of inspiration’’ for future generations as not only a defender of Kshatriya pride but also the integrity of all sections of society against the tyrannical rule (of Mayawati).Fellow Thakurs in the Cabinet, however, might find it hard to stomach the attention being showered on the Food and Civil Supplies Minister. ‘‘Raja Bhaiyya’s fight to safeguard values and principles propelled the Samajwadi Party to extend support to him after his so-called friends including a former (Thakur) chief minister deserted him,’’ Amar Singh said at the function today.
