Mumbai: BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar on Thursday demanded to rename Ahmednagar as “Ahilyanagar” to respect queen Ahilyabai Holkar who was born there. He has written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in this regard claiming strong public sentiments for the name change.
Padalkar and his followers celebrated Ahilyabai’s birth anniversary at Chondi in Ahmednagar district on May 31. However, common people were restricted from entering the village, he alleged. “The common public was stopped by police from visiting Chondi as Sharad Pawar and his grandson Rohit were too present there. It is outrageous that Pawar supports Nawab Malik on one hand who has connections with Dawood Ibrahim and on the other hand, he treats the Ahilyabai’s birth anniversary as an event to launch his grandson,” Padalkar said.
Praising Ahilyabai’s work, Padalkar said “Hindurajmata Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar is an inspiration for Hindustan. When Muslim rulers were destroying temples, she reconstructed them and revived Hindu culture. Therefore, Ahmednagar should be named after her as Ahilyanagar.”
Questioning the government on the name change, the BJP leader said which history do you want to narrate? “Do you want to claim the legacy of Mughals or Holkars? Chief Minister should take quick decision to change the name of Ahmednagar and prove that the remote control of the government is in his hands and not with senior Pawar,” he added.
Ahilya Bai Holkar was a queen in early-modern India and established Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh as the seat of the Holkar Dynasty. Coming from a Dhangar community, she defended the Malwa state against intruders and personally led armies into battle. She was born in Chondi village in Ahmednagar district on May 31, 1725.
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