While campaigning for the ongoing GHMC polls in Hyderabad, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said that if Faizabad and Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh can become Ayodhya and Prayagraj respectively, Hyderabad can again become ‘Bhagyanagar’. Backing the Chief Minister’s statement, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev on Monday said that it is true that Hyderabad has “nothing to do with Haider”. He went on to say that the Mughals and the Britishers tried to “erase” India’s identity by changing the names of several places across the country.
“This is true that Hyderabad has nothing to do with ‘Haider’ (Hyder). It’s ancient and proud name is Bhagyanagar and it should be that. This is also true that there have been some mistakes in history. In Haridwar, the village near our Yoga centre is called Aurangabad. Now tell me, what is the relation between Aurangzeb and Haridwar’ Similarly, Prayagraj was Allahabad earlier, why’ In Maharashtra, many people call Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar. The Mughals and the Britishers tried to destroy our identity,” Baba Ramdev said while speaking to reporters in Haridwar.
“….When BJP was not there in (in power) Uttar Pradesh, people knew the name of the district of Ram Janmabhoomi as Faizabad. We came and gave the name Ayodhya. If Faizabad can become Ayodhya, if Allahabad can become Prayagraj, then Hyderabad can also become Bhagyanagar again,” Yogi Adityanath had said. He appealed to the voters to make all BJP candidates victorious in all wards to change the “Bhagya” (fortune) of Hyderabad.
Responding to Yogi, AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said, “You will be renamed not Hyderabad.” Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) chief and Lok Sabha MP Tejasvi Surya stirred a row when he called Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar.
