BJP govt renames 11 Muslim villages in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal: As part of its ongoing efforts to erase Muslim identity across India, authorities have renamed eleven villages, all of which had names with Muslim connotations, in Shajapur district of BJP-ruled Madya Pradesh state of India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, during a rally revealed the new names of the villages. This move follows a similar exercise earlier in January when Yadav renamed three villages in his home district of Ujjain, citing the desire to replace Muslim-sounding names with Hindu-centric identities.
The renaming includes Nipaniya Hissamuddin, which will now be called Nipaniya Dev, and Dhabla Hussainpur, which will be renamed Dhabla Ram. Other name changes include Mohammadpur Pawadia, now Rampur Pawadia, and Khajuri Allahadad, which will be known as Khajuri Ram. The full list of newly renamed villages includes Hajipur (now Hirapur), Mohammadpur Machhnai (now Mohanpur), Richhri Moradabad (now Richhri), Khalilpur (now Rampur), Unchod (now Unchavad), Ghatti Mukhtiarpur (now Ghatti), and Sheikhpur Bongi (now Avadhpuri).
The renaming trend has gathered momentum within the ruling BJP, as more leaders push for the removal of Islamic influence from place names. Anil Firojiya, BJP MP from Ujjain, has demanded that names of localities like Begum Bagh, Anda Gali, and Top Khana in the city be changed. In Bhopal, BJP leaders have raised the issue of renaming the city itself, claiming the original name was Bhojpal, after Raja Bhoj of the Parmar dynasty, and that the current name was coined by the Nawabs.
The ongoing renaming spree has raised concerns among human rights organizations and opposition leaders, who have stated that such moves only deepen the existing fault lines between communities, especially at a time when the country is grappling with growing religious tensions. Critics warn that renaming places to erase Muslim heritage is part of a larger strategy to rewrite history and create a more divisive political atmosphere.
