BJP MLA from Bansdih, Ketakee Singh, has demanded that Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh be renamed after Maharishi Gautam. She said that names linked to “invaders” should be removed and replaced with names of great Indian figures to restore pride in the country’s heritage.
Speaking to reporters at her home in Bansdih, Singh said she had already written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and urged both the state and central governments to take action.
“All such names that remind us of our times of disgrace, which have been kept to glorify the invaders and praise them, all such names should be removed. The birthplace of great men should be named after them. I want that Ghazipur district’s name should be changed,” she said.
She argued that such steps would motivate young people. “Changing the name will inspire the coming generation. How can a country that forgets its history build its future? If you forget your origin, you will never be able to build a future,” Singh added.
Singh also questioned the way some historical rulers are remembered. “We have read that Akbar was great. Such was his greatness that it has been written on the dead bodies of lakhs of Hindus,” she remarked.
Maharishi Gautam, after whom Singh wants Ghazipur renamed, is regarded as a revered sage in Hindu tradition and the father of Maharishi Parashuram, believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is associated with the Gautama Dharmasutra and is believed to have meditated in the region that is now Ghazipur.
The current name of Ghazipur is believed to come from Saiyyad Masood Ghazi, who founded the city in 1330 A.D. and was remembered for encouraging Hindu-Muslim unity. Some historical records also link the name to Ustad Ghazi Mashook.
