'Aligarh's name should be changed': Here is Keshav Maurya's suggestion; demand made at Hindu Gaurav Diwas event

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Thursday demanded to rename Aligarh to “Harigarh,” citing a parallel with cities such as Ayodhya and Prayagraj.

Speaking at a ' Hindu Gaurav Diwas ' ceremony marking the death anniversary of former UP CM Kalyan Singh , Maurya also expressed his wish for "Babuji", as Singh was affectionately known, to be awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, .

Kalyan Singh, an Aligarh native and two-time chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, is remembered for his role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and for fostering the BJP’s early growth in the state.

"You all know Ayodhya was once called Faizabad. But under the leadership of our respected chief minister (Adityanath), it was renamed Ayodhya again. Similarly, Prayagraj was earlier known as Allahabad. Just two days ago, Shahjahanpur's Jalalabad was renamed Parshurampuri. Then there should be no delay in renaming Aligarh to Harigarh," Maurya said as cited by PTI.

Along with the deputy CM, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Union cabinet minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union minister Jitin Prasada, and other dignitaries, who paid homage to Kalyan Singh, were also present at the stage.

The deputy CM also targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP), criticising the party’s approach on PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak), calling it “nothing but divide and rule.”

"On Babuji's death anniversary, we pledge to uproot the SP's cycle (party symbol) and send it to Saifai. That will be a true tribute to Babuji," he said, earning applause from BJP workers present.