A fresh political debate over renaming places gained momentum after the Union Cabinet approved Kerala's proposal to change its name to Keralam, with leaders from different states pushing for similar moves.
Key Points
- BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a formal process to rename Delhi as Indraprastha.
- Khandelwal referred to excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India at Purana Qila to support the belief that ancient Indraprastha existed at present-day Delhi.
- The VHP had earlier raised a similar demand.
- Union Cabinet approved Kerala's proposal to rename the state as Keralam on Tuesday.
- J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Centre should also accept West Bengal's pending renaming proposal and give due consideration to similar future proposals from Jammu and Kashmir.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Praveen Khandelwal on Wednesday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to change the name of Delhi to Indraprastha, claiming that it reflects the city's true historical roots and cultural legacy.
In a letter to Shah, a day after the Union Cabinet gave its nod to rename Kerala to Keralam, the Lok Sabha MP from Delhi's Chandni Chowk constituency said that the Mahabharata describes Indraprastha as a magnificent city built on the banks of the Yamuna river, precisely matching the geographical setting of modern Delhi.
It is also supported by the Archaeological Survey of India's excavations at Purana Qila, Khandelwal claimed.
'Historical literature, archaeological findings and long-standing civilisational traditions establish that the present-day Delhi corresponds to the ancient city of Indraprastha, the grand capital established by the Pandavas as described in the epic Mahabharata,' he said in the letter to the Union home minister.
The epic describes Indraprastha as a magnificent city built on the banks of the Yamuna river, precisely matching the geographical setting of modern Delhi, he pointed out.
Excavations conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India at Purana Qila have revealed ancient settlement layers dating back to around 1,000 BC, along with Painted Grey Ware pottery associated with the Mahabharata era, Khandelwal claimed, adding that these findings strongly support the belief that the ancient city of Indraprastha once flourished at the site where Delhi stands today.
VHP raised similar demands last year
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) also raised the demand last year, arguing on the same lines.
The name Indraprastha is used by some academic institutions as well as a CNG supplier to the city -- IGL.
Khandelwal argued that the name Delhi emerged during a much later historical phase.
Scholars believe the name evolved from medieval references such as Dhillika or Dehli, associated with ruling dynasties of the early medieval period, he claimed.
"While these phases are part of the city's history, they do not represent its earliest identity or civilizational origin. As such, the name Delhi reflects a limited historical period rather than the deeper and more enduring legacy of the city," he argued in the letter.
"In view of the above, I respectfully urge the Ministry of Home Affairs to initiate a formal process to examine and implement the renaming of Delhi as Indraprastha, after consultation with historians, archaeologists, and other relevant stakeholders," said the MP.
Restoring the name Indraprastha would therefore reconnect the capital of modern India with its ancient civilizational foundation, he asserted. "It would symbolise that the seat of the world's largest democracy stands upon the legacy of one of humanity's oldest cultural traditions."
Omar backs Bengal govt demands for name change
Meanwhile, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the Centre should accept the West Bengal government's demand to rename the state, following the Union Cabinet's approval of a similar proposal for Kerala.
The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Kerala government's proposal to change the state's name to Keralam.
Following the approval, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction that her state's renaming proposal has remained pending with the Centre for a long time despite the move for Kerala.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Abdullah said, "Other states have also proposed name changes. If the West Bengal assembly is seeking to rename the state, the Centre should accept this demand."
"If a similar proposal was to be moved in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly in the future, the Centre should also give it due consideration," he added.
The chief minister also welcomed Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on his maiden visit to Kashmir.
The vice president will attend the 21st convocation of the Kashmir University on Thursday.
"He is arriving this evening to attend the convocation. Students are eagerly waiting to receive their degrees and medals from him. This is his first visit after assuming office and we welcome him," Abdullah added.
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