In drought-hit Marathwada, focus shifts on renaming Aurangabad

Amid the clamour for renaming Aurangabad as 'Sambhajinagar', noted writer Dr Sadanand More has suggested that the city be named after Dara Shikoh, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's favourite son and elder brother of Aurangzeb, who was a great scholar and an able military commander.

In Maharashtra's drought-hit Marathwada region, the focus has shifted to renaming the historic city of Aurangabad, with ruling allies BJP and Shiv Sena raising a pitch to rename the city after Shivaji Maharaj's son Sambhaji, a move opposed by parties like AIMIM.

Amid the clamour for renaming Aurangabad as 'Sambhajinagar', noted writer Dr Sadanand More has suggested that the city be named after Dara Shikoh, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's favourite son and elder brother of Aurangzeb, who was a great scholar and an able military commander.

More, a historian and writer of repute, said Dara Shikoh's secular credentials make it an apt choice for Aurangabad to be named after him. Dara had deep respect for Hindu and Sufi philosophy, he added.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has said the BJP-led government in Maharashtra will soon make an announcement regarding renaming Aurangabad as 'Sambhajinagar', a name by which the Sena refers to the city in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Maharashtra BJP president Raosaheb Danve, speaking to reporters here today, said his party does not agree with the views expressed by More.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe said More's views express his 'intellectual bankruptcy'.

"More should tell the public what great contribution did Dara Shikoh make," she said.

Jnanpeeth award winner Bhalchandra Nemade said people of Aurangabad should be provided "a glass of drinking water" instead of spending energy on renaming the city.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA from Aurangabad Imtiyaz Jaleel had said the city should not be named as 'Sambhajinagar'.