Demand to rename Aligarh as Harigarh and Mainpuri as Mayan Nagar

The proposal was passed in the first meeting of the zila panchayat without any opposition with 50 out of 72 members in attendance

AGRA The zila panchayat of Aligarh on Monday passed a resolution seeking to rechristen Aligarh as Harigarh, which members claimed, was a long pending demand. The proposal was passed in the first meeting of the panchayat without any opposition with 50 out of 72 members in attendance.

The proposal would be forwarded to the state government for approval, stated Vijay Singh, zila panchayat chairman for Aligarh (File Photo)

“It was a long pending demand to rename Aligarh as Harigarh. The zila panchayat approved the proposal unopposed. It would now be forwarded to the state government for approval,” stated Vijay Singh, zila panchayat chairman for Aligarh.

A proposal was also passed to name the airport of Aligarh after BJP leader Kalyan Singh, informed the zila panchayat chairman. Kalyan Singh was a resident of the ‘Lock City’ and chief minister of UP during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

Aligarh division comprises Hathras, Etah and Kasganj districts.

Earlier in the day, the zila panchayat of Mainpuri passed a resolution seeking to rename Mainpuri as Mayan Nagar after sage Mayan who founded the present day Mainpuri, said members.

“One of the zila panchayat members had moved the proposal for renaming Mainpuri as Mayan Nagar and the proposal was passed on Monday with 23 members supporting the motion and two opposing it,” said Archana Bhadoria, zila panchayat chairperson of Mainpuri.

Located near Isan river, Mainpuri became a stronghold of Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, who won five elections from the constituency.

Earlier this month, the Firozabad district panchayat had passed a resolution demanding that Firozabad be renamed as Chandra Nagar. Locals believed that King Chandrasen lived in Firozabad and because of this it was earlier known as Chandravar Nagar till about 1560 AD.

“Later, a representative of emperor Akbar, Firoz Shah, visited the area and the place was named after him as Firozabad. The demand to rename Firozabad as Chandra Nagar has been raised time and again,” said a local.