9 Years of PM Modi: Major Places Renamed Under Narendra Modi Govt

Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad renamed Prayagraj

The BJP-led Central Government approved the Uttar Pradesh government’s proposal to rename the historic city to Prayagraj. The Centre’s approval came a fortnight ahead of the ‘Kumbh Mela’ in January 2019, two months after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led BJP regime in Uttar Pradesh passed a proposal to rename Allahabad.

The Adityanath government had cited the Vedas and Hindu epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana, as sources of the name Prayagraj, saying that the city had been known by this name since ancient times before it was renamed by “invaders” who wanted to erase India’s glorious past.

“The renaming of Allahabad as Prayagraj before Kumbh Mela came for approval in the meeting and I am happy to say Allahabad will now be known as Prayagraj. Rig Veda, Mahabharat and Ramayana also mention Prayagraj (for Allahabad),” UP Minister Siddhartha Nath Singh had said on the name change.

Faizabad to Ayodhya

Faizabad district, which shares municipal boundaries with Ayodhya city, was changed to Ayodhya, around the same time of Allahabad’s renaming to Prayagraj.’

The UP cabinet, in November 2018, passed the proposal to rename both Faizabad district and division as Ayodhya, which it said used to be the capital of “Ikshvaku dynasty” in ancient India. Lord Ram is said to have belonged to this dynasty and Ayodhya is popularly cited as being his birthplace.

After a formal approval from the Centre, Faizabad district was renamed Ayodhya and part of the Prayagraj division, which now comprises of Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Fatehpur, and Pratapgarh districts. The Ayodhya division includes Ayodhya, Ambedkarnagar, Sultanpur, Amethi, and Barabanki districts.

Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium to Arun Jaitley Stadium

Delhi’s famed Feroz Shah Kotla Cricket Stadium was renamed to Arun Jaitley Stadium in honor of the late District Cricket Association (DDCA) chief and former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who passed away in August 2019.

The DDCA had said the stadium was renamed to pay tribute to Jaitley’s contribution to cricket in India. A stand inside the stadium had been named after former Indian captain and star batter Virat Kohli.

Mughalsarai junction changed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay railway station

UP’s iconic Mughalsarai junction was renamed to Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction. It was inaugurated by then BJP chief and current Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 5, 2018.

In 2017, CM Yogi Adityanath had proposed the renaming of the historic junction one of the oldest and largest in the state to honour Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) founder Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction.

BJS is the forerunner of the modern-day BJP.

“Today is a very big day for the Bhartiya Janata Party as Mughalsarai station, where Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay was killed, has today been named after him. I am happy that under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership a memorial is being made after Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay,” Amit Shah had said after the inauguration.

Rajpath to Kartavya Path

Amid mixed reaction, the capital city’s iconic ‘Rajpath’ was renamed to ‘Kartavya Path’, literally meaning the path of duty, by the Narendra Modi-led Central government, ahead of inaugurating the Central Vista Avenue on September 8, 2022.

The proposal to rename the historic street was approved by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), despite pushback by opposition parties.

Gurgaon becomes Gurugram

Haryana’s Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government renamed Gurgoan to Gurugram in April 2016 citing people’s demand to rechristen the city to its historic name which he said, used to be the center of education for the princes and noblemen during ancient times.

The renaming was justified by citing ‘Gurugram’ as being the historical name of the city as per Hindu scriptures, and the land being owned by the Pandavas and Kauravas of the Mahabharata fame, who gave it as ‘dakshina’ or gift or token of appreciation, to Guru Dronacharaya, who trained them in warfare.

Gurugram was officially renamed Gurugram on April 12, 2016 and the neighbouring Mewat district’s name was changed to ‘Nuh’.

Other name-change proposals in the pipeline

Besides all the major name changes that have already taken place in the past nine years of the Narendra Modi government, there are dozens of proposals in the pipeline to rename more historical places, even some in states where the BJP doesn’t hold sway, in the near future.

Proposals put forward by some outspoken BJP leaders have urged the Centre to change the names of Telangana capital Hyderabad to ‘Bhagyanagar’ and Gujarat’s Ahmedabad to Karnavati.

Adesh Gupta, a Delhi BJP leader, last year asked the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP regime to rename 40 villages with names “associated with Mughal invaders” after artistes, freedom fighters and martyrs like IB staffer Ankit Sharma and police constable Ratan Lal who were killed in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots.

He said names such as Jia Sarai, Zamroodpur, Masoodpur, Jafarpur Kalan, Tajpur, Najafgarh and Neb Sarai are symbols of “slave mentality”, adding that Delhi is India’s national capital and not a sarai or inn anymore.

He also demanded that Tughlaq Road to be renamed after Guru Gobind Singh and Babar Lane changed to Khudiram Bose lane.

The renaming of historical places has received severe backlash from the Opposition and other quarters who have alleged that the BJP regime wants to erase Mughal history and heritage and selectively favors Hindi and/or Hindu names over names which come from an Islamic origin.

The Narendra Modi government has adamantly junked these accusations and stated that the reason behind the name changes was throw away the vestiges of colonial hangover and restore pride in India’s ancient heritage.