Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recently announced the renaming of 15 places across the state, most of which are historically linked to Muslim rulers. The decision, according to Dhami, aligns with “public sentiment, Indian culture, and heritage.” The affected districts include Haridwar, Dehradun, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar.
In Haridwar, notable changes include renaming Aurangzebpur to Shivaji Nagar, and Gajiwali to Arya Nagar. Similarly, Mohammadpur Jat is now Mohanpur Jat, while Khanpur Kursli has been changed to Ambedkar Nagar. Other changes include Akbarpur Fazalpur becoming Vijayanagar and Indrishpur renamed to Nandpur.
In Dehradun, Miyanwala has been renamed to Ramji Wala, while Pirwala is now Kesari Nagar. The place Chandpur Khurd has been altered to Prithviraj Nagar, and Abdullah Nagar is now Daksh Nagar.
In Nainital, Nawabi Road has been renamed Atal Marg, and the road from Panchakki to ITI will now be called Guru Golwalkar Marg. Lastly, in Udham Singh Nagar, the Sultanpur Patti municipal council has been renamed Kaushalya Puri.
This renaming initiative has sparked a divisive debate. While supporters argue that the changes reflect a reclaiming of Indian heritage and culture, critics view them as attempts to erase history and marginalize minority communities. This decision is part of a broader movement by Hindu nationalists seeking to remove place names tied to Muslim rulers from the Indian subcontinent.
