The BJP government in Uttarakhand has officially renamed Aurangzebpur in Haridwar district to Shivaji Nagar, as part of a broader initiative to update the names of several places across the state. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the decision on the social media platform X.Dhami's post on the platform read, "Aurangzebpur of Haridwar district will now be known as Shivaji Nagar. In accordance with public sentiments, the names of various places located in Haridwar, Dehradun, Nainital and Udhamsingh Nagar districts have also been changed.
"Renaming Places: Dhami's Rationale
Defending the Uttarakhand government's decision to rename these places, Dhami said that it was in response to long-standing public demands. He added, "In line with the sentiments of the people, the expectations of the public, the local culture, and the true spirit of the Devbhumi, the names of these places should reflect the essence of Devbhumi."The Uttarakhand CM claimed the move "will help in increasing the faith and devotion of the people towards these areas." He added, "For the places where name changes have been proposed, the people of those areas, who have earned special recognition for their work and contribution to society, should also be honoured."
Opposition Slams The Move
The opposition parties have criticised the move by the BJP government. Taking a dig at the decision, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the Dhami government should now consider "renaming Uttarakhand as Uttar Pradesh-II," referring to several similar decisions taken by the UP government in recent years.
The Cultural Reclamation Row
The renaming of places, especially of Aurangzebpur to Shivaji Nagar, comes on the back of the controversy triggered by the Vicky Kaushal-starrer Chhava. The movie, which portrays Aurangzeb as a cruel character, has resulted in a nationwide debate on the erasure of his legacy.In a similar move in 2022, the then Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, led by Uddhav Thackeray and supported by the Congress and the NCP, had decided to change the name of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar. The renaming had been first proposed by Uddhav Thackeray's father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in 1988.
