NI Bureau
Aligned with his dedication to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Panch Pran’ (five pledges), which encompass the removal of colonial remnants from India and the preservation of heritage, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has alluded to the possibility of renaming Akbarpur.
Expressing reservations about the current nomenclature, the Chief Minister emphasized the imperative to eradicate vestiges of colonial rule and to uphold the state’s cultural heritage, as per an official communication.
In addition to Akbarpur, a review of renaming several districts across the state, including Aligarh, Azamgarh, Shahjahanpur, Ghaziabad, Firozabad, Farrukhabad, and Moradabad, is underway.
Since assuming office in 2017, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has undertaken a concerted effort to eliminate symbols of historical subjugation.
This endeavor has entailed the renaming of numerous thoroughfares, public spaces, intersections, and structures across the state in tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In the city of Lucknow alone, prominent landmarks now bear names such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Road, Atal Chauraha, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Conference Centre, Atal Setu, and Atal Bihari Kalyan Mandap.
Furthermore, the prominent Mughalsarai railway station, ranked as the fourth busiest in the country, underwent a name change to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction.
Preceding the 2019 Kumbh Mela, the renaming of Allahabad to Prayagraj occurred, with the intent of reclaiming the city’s historical identity.
According to historical accounts, the original appellation of this significant locale was Prayagraj, which was later altered by Mughal rulers to ‘Allahabad’.
Concurrently, Faizabad was rechristened Ayodhya, and the Jhansi railway station was renamed in honor of Rani Lakshmi Bai.
Recent initiatives include municipal resolutions in Aligarh proposing the name change to Harigarh, and similar proposals for Firozabad, suggested to be renamed Chandra Nagar.
Similar sentiments were echoed in Mainpuri, where there is advocacy for changing the district’s name to Mayapuri.
Minister of State for Secondary Education Gulab Devi has advocated for renaming her native district, Sambhal, to either Prithviraj Nagar or Kalki Nagar. Additionally, former BJP MLA Devmani Dwivedi has proposed renaming Sultanpur district to Kushbhawanpur, citing its association with Kush, the son of Lord Rama. Similarly, BJP MLA Brajesh Singh from the Deoband assembly seat in Saharanpur has advocated for the change of Deoband to Devvrind.
Despite Deoband’s association with the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom, it is argued that ancient Hindu scriptures reference the place as Devvrind.
Similarly, Alka Rai, former BJP MLA from the Mohammadabad constituency in Ghazipur, has advocated for renaming Ghazipur to Gadhipuri.
