According to reports, the proposal was passed in the first meeting of the panchayat without any opposition in the presence of 50 members.

The Zila panchayat of Aligarh on Monday passed a proposal to rename Aligarh as Harigarh, terming it a ‘long-pending demand’. As per the reports, the proposal was passed in the first meeting of the panchayat without any opposition in the presence of 50 members. It will be forwarded to the state government for approval.

According to officials, earlier this month, the newly elected Firozabad Zila Panchayat had also passed a proposal to rename the district as ‘Chandra Nagar’. BJP leader Lakshmi Narain Yadav, who moved the proposal, said the district was earlier known as Chandrawad but was later renamed Firozabad.

“It is necessary to change the name to Chandra Nagar,” he said. Cabinet Minister Rajendra Singh alias Moti Singh during his oath ceremony last month had addressed the district 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.

Also read: After Prayagraj and Ayodhya, UP’s Basti district to be renamed as “Vashishthi”

Earlier last year, continuing the rechristening spree, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh had changed the names of four railway stations in Prayagraj district.

Allahabad Junction became Prayagraj Junction, Allahabad City came to be known as Prayagraj Rambag, Allahabad Chhioki was changed to Prayagraj Chheoki and the name of Prayag Ghat was renamed as Prayagraj Sangam.