Lucknow: Bhim Army leader Chandra Shekhar said on Monday that “Ravan”, the suffix to his name, was given by the media and he did not wish to use the same now.

“I want to end the use of this name and completely despise it. My name is Chandra Shekhar Azad and I want to use that.

“Any media house calling me ‘Ravan’ henceforth will face legal action,” he told reporters.

The Bhim Army leader said that the BJP was using this name to despise him.

“They want to make it a fight between Ram and Ravan as the Indian society hails Ram as hero and Ravan as the villain. They are also indirectly calling all of us monsters,” he explained.

Chandra Shekhar also declared that he would not contest the 2019 elections and would continue to work as a social activist.

“I am responsible to the people who believe in me so at this juncture, I cannot take political sides and will remain honest and transparent,” The Bhim Army leader stated.

Responding to BSP president Mayawati disowning him and even terming him a BJP agent, Chandra Shekhar said, “If Ms Mayawati has said anything, it is because some external forces are influencing her to make such statements. It can also be that people around her, are also among those who are oppressors, so they do not want a new face, a new leader from the apparently downtrodden community. Therefore, they may be influencing her. It is a political game. We both have the same blood because we are from the same community.”