The Uttar Pradesh’s BJP government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hasn’t sprung any big surprise by renaming Allahabad to Prayagraj. His intentions of changing the perceived Muslim names to Hindu names were well understood way before he became the CM of the state with maximum number of Lok Sabha seats.
In August this year he changed the name of the iconic Mughalsarai railway station to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya station respectively after the Jan Sangh leader. Also the the Mughalsarai town of Chandauli district was renamed as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Nagar in 2017.
During Yogi’s tenure as MP of Gorakhpur, the names of Ali Nagar, Miya Bazar, Urdu Bazar, Islampur, Lahaladpur and Humayun Nagar were renamed as Arya Nagar, Maya Bazar, Hindi Bazar, Ishwarpur, Alahaladpur and Hanuman Nagar respectively.
The BJP governments’ agenda of completely ignoring the Muslim population which constitutes nearly 20% in the state was well understood when no Muslim candidate was fielded in 80 Lok Sabha seats and 403 assembly constituencies.
The chief minister in an interview had said that he wouldn’t hesitate in changing the name of Taj Mahal to Ram Mahal. So after Allahabad to Prayagraj, Delhi isn’t far being called Indraprastha.
But the main question is did the citizens of the state ask the chief minister and the cabinet to change the name ? They haven’t given a clear majority to this government for merely changing the names of the places but for good governance.
According to an India Spend report, Uttar Pradesh has India’s second highest maternal mortality. 258 deaths are recorded per 100,000 mothers. 64 infants lose their lives per 1000. Not to forget the tragedy at the Gorakhpur hospital in 2017.
In education too the state is way backward. 49.7% Grade 1 students and 27.3% Grade 2 students cannot read letters. 44.3% Grade 1 students and 21% Grade 2 students cannot recognise numbers from 1 to 9. Also there is high absenteeism the state with 21% of India’s child population.
There is a colossal problem of high youth unemployment in the state. 58 of 1000 people were unemployed then the Indian average of 37 and 143 of 1000 youth from 18 to 29 years of age were unemployed then the Indian average of 102. There is high migration to other states for job.
Industrial growth in Uttar Pradesh is a lowest in the country. It is rank 20th of 21 states on the 2016 State Investment Potential Index, ranking on labour, infrastructure, economic climate, potential stability, governance and perceptions of a good business climate.
51.8 percent of rural households unelectrified despite having the third largest installed coal capacity.
Apart from these, there is endemic corruption and widespread lawlessness in the state.
It would be better if Yogi Adityanath would focus on these issues rather than going on a name changing spree and creating political instability in the state and inturn the country.
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UP Govt On Renaming Streak , Allahabad To Be Called Prayagraj From Today