Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday (4 November), defended the decision of UP government to change the name of Sangam Nagari from Allahabad to Prayagraj asking the critics of the decision as to why did not their parents name them after Ravana or Duryodhana?

Yogi was speaking at the closing ceremony of ‘Gyan Kumbh’ event organised at Patanjali Yogpeeth. In the event five sessions were held over the period of two days in which deliberations were made on existing educational setup and measures required to upgrade the system.

Yogi, while speaking at the event, said that “Maine Prayagraj ka naam badla, Log keh rahe hain kyun naam badal diya, kuch logon ne kaha naam se kya hota hai? Maine kaha tumhare maa-baap ne tumhara naam Ravan aur Duryodhan kyun nahi rakh diya.” (I changed the name of Prayagraj, people are saying why did you change the name, some people said what’s in a name? I said to them, why did not your parents name you Ravan or Duryodhan?)

The UP government has earlier renamed Allahabad to Prayagraj which has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition parties.

Yogi, linking the name change to traditions, said, “Naam ka hi mahatva hai, woh naam humko humari gauravmayi parampara ke sath jodta hai, aur isliye Prayagraj naam kyun nahi hoga ?” (Names have their own importance, names connect us with our glorious traditions and therefore the city (erstwhile Allahabad) has to have the name ‘Prayagraj’).