(NDTV)
A renaming spree in Uttar Pradesh – first with the iconic railway station Mughal Sarai and now with the historic city of Allahabad – has drawn mixed reactions on social media. Some have welcomed the moves, contending that the names reflect the desires of most of the state’s residents and are efforts at reclaiming overwritten identities. Others, however, have criticised them as blatant majoritarianism and overwriting established historical nomenclature. Nevertheless, for jokes and memes, the name changes set just months apart, have been a boon.
With the Uttar Pradesh cabinet reportedly approving the name Prayagraj for Allahabad, christened by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1575 as “Illahabad” or “abode of God”, social media and instant messaging groups burst into frenzied activity. Tied to the hashtag #AajSeTumharaNaam, internet users came out on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp with images of Yogi Adityanath on the phone with celebrities as he gives them new names.
