Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced to change the names of several places across the state including Haridwar, Dehradun, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts amidst the ongoing controversy over the historical heritage of Aurangzeb. According to the announcement, the name has been changed in Haridwar, three in Dehradun, two in Nainital and one place in Udham Singh Nagar.
Where are the names changed
Some regions with Islamic names are now named after Hindu deities. The name of Mianwala region in Dehradun has been changed to Ramjiwala. Similarly, the name of Aurangzeb Nagar has been changed to Shivaji Nagar in Bhagwanpur block of Roorkee. The name of Khanpur village of Roorkee has been changed to Shri Krishna Nagar. Nawabi Road is being renamed Atal Marg in Nainital. The name of Panchkki-RTI road has been changed to Guru Gowalkar Marg.
CM Dhami’s statement
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that these changes will respect the sentiments of the people and increase the association with Indian culture and heritage. He also said that these name changes have been done to honor the contribution of historical personalities and inspire people with Indian traditions.
The decision to change the name has been welcomed by many organizations and locals. He believes that this step will help in providing correct identity to the culture and history of India.