SC Notice To UP Govt Over Changing Allahabad’s Name

New Dlehi: The Supreme Court on Monday heard a plea challenging the validity of Allahabad’s name change to Prayagraj and issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government.

The petitioner had pointed out that the state government cannot change the names of railway stations, central universities and other institutes as they are controlled by the central government.

The BJP had defended the name change exercise stating that it was undoing what the Mughal emperor Akbar had done 500 years back. The move was criticised by the opposition and historians, who claimed the government was tampering with history.

According to supporters, Prayag was the original name of Allahabad and it was named “Illahabad” or “abode of God” by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1575.

Akbar’s court historian Abul Fazl, also called it Piyag. The city has been mentioned in the Rig Veda and some of the Puranas.