Hyderabad: A fresh row has erupted over the demand for renaming Hyderabad as ‘Bhagyanagar’ after a Central minister said that there should be no objection to the move.
Union Minister of State for Railways, Raosaheb Danve, said on Wednesday that there should be no objection to rechristening Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar.
He justified the demand after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) referred Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar while announcing a three-day meeting here in the first week of January 2022. The meeting is planned to review the working of affiliated organisations and preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled to take place in five states early next year.
“The Samanvay Baithak (coordination meeting) of the chief functionaries of various organisations inspired by the RSS working in different areas of social life will be held from January 5-7 at Bhagyanagar, Telangana,” the RSS had tweeted on December 21.
The tweet reignited the debate on the demand to rename Hyderabad. Several BJP leaders defended the demand and pointed out that they have been using Bhagyanagar for a long time.
Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders alleged that the BJP wants to do divisive politics by demanding the change of name of Hyderabad.
“Hyderabad has Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb, but BJP wants to disturb this by raking up such issues,” said TRS leader K. Krishan.
He alleged that the BJP is not bothered about development and only talks of changing the name of cities, dress or eating habits to do politics.
He recalled that BJP had also raised the demand during the elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) last year.
While campaigning for GHMC polls, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had called for changing the name of Hyderabad.
“Some people were asking me if Hyderabad can be renamed as Bhagyanagar. I said why not. I told them that we renamed Faizabad as Ayodhya and Allahabad as Prayagraj after the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh. Then why can’t Hyderabad be renamed as Bhagyanagar,” Yogi had asked.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), a key political force in Hyderabad, is strongly opposed to the demand.
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has said that the entire generation of those who want to rename Hyderabad will end, but even then the city’s name will not change.
–IANS