LUCKNOW: The Sultanpur-based Rajputana Shaurya Foundation on Wednesday met deputy chief minister

to push forth their demand for Sultanpur to be renamed Kushbhawanpur-the land where Kush (Lord Ram's son) lived.

A delegation of Rajputs from the foundation had earlier met former UP governor

in March 2019. In April, the governor had sent a letter to CM

, putting in a word about the delegation's request.

"The deputy CM was in Sultanpur, so we extended our request of renaming the city to him," said senior lawyer and member of the foundation Arvind Singh 'Raja'. "Two district gazetteers of Sultanpur, one from 1903 under the British government and the other from 1982 under the UP government, refer to Sultanpur as Kushbhawanpur, Kushpur and Kushvati," he added.

A traditionally held belief that Lord Ram's son Kush founded the city situated on the banks of the river Gomti has become the foundation's premise to ask for Sultanpur to be renamed.

The city has a lone bronze idol of Kush on Sitakund Ghat, which came up during the

's rule in 2004.

Evoking the sentiments of all Sultanpur residents towards the cause, the foundation's letter claims that renaming the city would also uphold 'sanatan' traditions.

The foundation's letter to Maurya on Wednesday also made a reference to poet Kalidas's 'Raghuvnash Mahakavya' and city-based writer Rajeshwar Singh's book 'Sultanpur: Itihas ki Jhalak'.

The Hindi book mentions that Ram had two sons: Luv and Kush. When the kingdom was divided between the two, Luv ascended the northern portion and the southern went to Kush, which extended till the river Sindika (now Sai). This region, under Kush, is what is today known as Sultanpur.