BJP ally NISHAD party has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister demanding the removal of "illegal mosque" from the premises of the Nishadraj Fort at Shringverpur Dham of Prayagraj.

The party says it will get the "green flag" removed from the mosque and unfurl a saffron flag in its place just as was done in Ayodhya.

Shringverpur Dham is considered by Nishads as the abode of Nishadraj, the head of the riverine clan, who helped Lord Ram cross the Ganga during his 14 years in exile.

The party's demand, which has the potential to become a rallying cry for the Nishad community, comes just months ahead of the much anticipated Lok Sabha polls.

"I have apprised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about the matter and will personally meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss it," NISHAD party chief Sanjay Nishad told PTI.

"The way the green flag was removed from the Ram temple in Ayodhya, we want the same to be done in a democratic way at Lord Ram's friend Nishadraj's Shringverpur Dham, where Lord Ram had spent a night," the cabinet minister said.

The politician said the removal of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya could only be made possible by the BJP's reaching out to people with Indian 'Sanskriti', of which the story of Nishadraj is a part and he will tell people about it.

He claimed there was no mosque at the place when he started getting it cleaned in 2013 but later a mosque appeared which has now spread across acres.

The mosque is very close to the site where a statue of Lord Ram and Nishad king is being installed, he said.

"There was no mosque in records and also in the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) map. It should be removed," he said.

The NISHAD (Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal) party has been celebrating events like Nishadraj Jayanti and Vimukti Diwas since 2013 at Shringverpur Fort.

He said due to his efforts, the tourism department has declared the area, where there is also a helipad, a tourism spot and has sanctioned Rs 20.28 crore for its development.

Nishad said that at a recent party meeting, party workers had raised the issue and that there has been anger in the "machhua" community due to the illegal structure.

"It is a matter of faith for Hindus. I am also consulting lawyers and exploring other democratic means for removal of the structure in the pious land of Nishadraj," he said.

NISHAD party had contested 2022 polls as BJP ally. It has six MLAs. His son Shravan Nishad is BJP MLA and his elder son Praveen Nishad is a BJP MP from Sant Kabir Nagar.

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