Amidst growing criticism, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government in India has been accused of promoting an anti-Muslim campaign, notably with the recent renaming of Faizabad and Allahabad. Now, Uttar Pradesh has set its sights on changing the name of Aligarh, a historic city with a rich cultural heritage.
According to reports, the Aligarh Municipal Corporation has unanimously approved a proposal to rename the city. The initiative was spearheaded by Aligarh Mayor Prashant Singhal and received unanimous support from all councilors. If this proposal secures approval from the Uttar Pradesh government, it will mark the second city in the state to undergo a name change. In 2019, the BJP government renamed Allahabad to Prayagraj.
Mayor Prashant Singhal, the driving force behind the proposed name change to "Harigarh," expressed optimism regarding its acceptance. This move addresses a long-standing demand for Aligarh's name change.
The process of renaming a city in India entails multiple steps. First, the municipal corporation must approve the proposed name. Subsequently, the proposal is sent to the state government, which then submits it to the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. Upon approval by the Ministry and related institutions, the state government is authorized to enact the name change.
The initiative to rename Aligarh as Harigarh gained momentum in 2021 when it was approved during a Zilla Panchayat meeting and subsequently forwarded to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Yogi Adityanath has been a strong advocate for renaming cities and places in the state, aligning with the BJP's policy. He stated in 2019, "We (Hindus) do what we like; we renamed Mughal Sarai as Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar, Allahabad as Prayagraj, and Faizabad as Ayodhya. Whenever the need arises, the government will take steps."
The renaming of Faizabad and Allahabad has prompted additional calls from BJP leaders to rename other cities across the country. Suggestions have surfaced, such as renaming Agra to Agrawan or Agarwal, while another proposal seeks to rename Muzaffarnagar as Lakshminagar.
It's important to acknowledge that the BJP government's promotion of Hindutva and the increasing anti-Muslim campaign has amplified anti-Muslim sentiments in India. This has manifested in various incidents, including mosque attacks and vandalism of Muslims' homes, which have made it increasingly challenging for the Muslim community to thrive in an environment influenced by anti-Islamic behavior promoted by the BJP and some extremist Hindu factions.
