'Telia Afghan' To 'Telia Shukla': UP Gets Centre's Go-Ahead To Change Names In Gorakhpur, Deoria

The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government earlier renamed Allahabad district as Prayagraj and Faizabad district to Ayodhya.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 27 December 2022 9:17 am

Yogi Adityanath in Moradabad

The Union Home Ministry has given a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the Uttar Pradesh government to change local names in Gorakhpur and Deoria districts.

In the latest round of name-changes, the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government now has the go-ahead to change the name of municipal council 'Mundera Baazar' in Gorakhpur district to 'Chauri-Chaura' and that of 'Telia Afghan' village in Deoria district to 'Telia Shukla', an official said.

The Union Home Ministry considers proposals for name change according to the existing guidelines in consultations with agencies concerned. The NOC has come at the recommendation of Adityanath government.

As per the guidelines, the Union Home Ministry gives NOC to change the name of any place after taking consent from the Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts, and the Survey of India, another official said.

For changing the name of a village, town or a city, an executive order is needed.

Renaming of a state requires an amendment of the Constitution with a simple majority in Parliament, the official added.

The Adityanath government has changed names of several places, with Allahabad being renamed as Prayagraj and Faizabad being renamed as Ayodhya being the most high-profile. Both cities are of religious significance to Hindus, with Ayodhya believed to be the birthplace of Hindu God Vishnu's reincarnation Lord Ram and Prayagraj being home to the Hindu Kumbh Mela.

However, Adityanath is not the first to change names of places in UP. Earlier, Mayawati changed names of up to eight districts. Older names were restored by Akhilesh Yadav who replaced her as Chief Minister in 2012.

The Economic Times lists the following changes by Akhilesh: Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar to Amethi, Rambai Nagar to Kanpur Dehat, Bheem Nagar to Sambhal, Prabuddha Nagar to Shamli, Panchseel Nagar to Hapur, Kanshiram Nagar to Kasganj, Mahamaya Nagar to Hathras, and JP Nagar to Amroha.

Moreover, changing names of places is not unique to UP. Names of several places have been renamed across India, often to reverse colonial names, such as Calcutta to Kolkata, Madras to Chennai, Bombay to Mumbai, Poona to Pune, etc.

(With PTI inputs)