Yogi government contemplating on renaming Allahabad as Prayagraj

After renaming ‘Mughalsarai’ railway station as ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar’, Uttar Pradesh government may soon rechristen Allahabad as ‘Prayagraj’, its ancient name.

An indication to this effect was given by the office bearers of All India Akhara Parishad (AIAP), an apex body of Hindu seers and saints after their meeting with UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath here on Tuesday.

The AIAP president Mahant Narendra Giri said that the saints had proposed to the chief minister to rechristen Allahabad as ‘Prayagraj’. ”A formal announcement in this regard will be made shortly,” the Mahant said.

He said that the chief minister had assured the saints that the government would consider their demand. The saints said that renaming of Allahabad was essential to reflect the cultural heritage and religious importance of the place.

“We have requested the chief minister to change Allahabad’s name to Prayagraj and ensure that 14 fake babas did not participate in the Ardh kumbh,” Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) head Mahant Narendra Giri told reporters in Lucknow.

Irked by the recent controversies surrounding self-styled godmen, ABAP, the apex body of Hindu sadhus had on Sunday released a list of 14 “fake babas” including the names like Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Rampal, Asaram and his son Narayan Sai, and demanded a crackdown on “rootless cult leaders” by bringing in a legislation.

When asked about their demand of renaming Allahabad, Giri said that Adityanath has assured them to look into it.