Aurangabad formally renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Osmanabad as Dharashiv

The decision was first taken by the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on June 29, 2022, in its last cabinet meeting with Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister. It was reconfirmed by the Eknath Shinde-led government on July 16, 2022

During a special cabinet meeting led by chief minister Eknath Shinde on Friday, the Maharashtra government officially issued a notification on the change of names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad districts as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively. Both the districts are part of the Marathwada region.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar unveil renaming plaques (Twitter/@CMOMaharashtra)

“With the orders in place, the region, districts, tehsils and villages of Aurangabad and Osmanabad have been renamed as ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’ and ‘Dharashiv’ respectively,” states the notifications issued by Santosh Gawde, deputy secretary, state revenue department.

“Chief Minister @mieknathshinde, Deputy Chief Minister @Dev_Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister @AjitPawarSpeaks today unveiled renaming plaques #Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv. District, sub-division, taluka, village with Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar revenue division and #Dharashiv district, sub-division, taluka, village have been renamed,” read a post from the chief minister’s office (CMO Maharashtra) in Marathi.

According to the notification issued by the state revenue department, the government considered the suggestions and objections sought a few months ago and decided to change the names at the sub-division, village, taluka and district levels.

The decision had been put on hold following a petition in the high court challenging the same.

However, the petitions were dismissed and the state government has also got a nod from the Union home ministry for renaming of the two districts, said an official familiar with the development.

“Government of India has no objection to the change the name of Aurangabad as ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’ and the Osmanabad city as ‘Dharashiv’,” stated orders issued by Shyamal Kumar Bit, undersecretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in February.

As a gesture, the MVA government approved a renaming proposal for Aurangabad Airport as ‘Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Airport’ in March 2020.

The renaming of both the districts and cities is a controversial and long pending demand as it was raised by right-wing groups and late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji was the son of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji and was killed by the then-Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

It was started in the late 1980s when over 25 people were killed in a communal riot in 1988 and in the subsequent elections, Shiv Sena won the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation elections.

On May 8, 1988, the late Shiv Sena supremo announced the renaming of the city as ‘Sambhaji Nagar’.

A resolution for the same was also passed by the municipal corporation in 1995 following which the then Shiv-Sena-led government issued a notification seeking suggestions and objections from the people.