Akhilesh Yadav renames eight districts in UP

LUCKNOW: Exactly two years after the then Chief Minister Mayawati changed the name of Gandhi bastion, Amethi and created a new district out of it called Chattrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar, the Akhilesh Yadav government has struck down the decision. The state government has renamed the district as Amethi.

Amethi also the parliamentary constituency of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, was earlier a block level town in Sultanpur district before being caught in the renaming exercise of successive governments.

At the height of her verbal duel with Rahul Gandhi, the then Chief Minister Mayawati in July 2010 orderd that some areas adjoining Amethi be clubbed together and made a new district known as Chattrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar after the social reformer who had worked for the upliftment of the Dalit community.

While officials earlier said that Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar's name is being changed to Gauriganj, the government later said that it has been renamed as Amethi.

The other districts whose names have been changed are Rambai Nagar which will now be known by its original name Kanpur Dehat. Bheem Nagar, Prabuddha Nagar and Pancheel Nagar have been rechristened as Sambhal, Shamlii and Hapur respectively.

Similarly names of Kanshiram Nagar, Mahamaya Nagar and JP Nagar have been changed to Kasganj, Hathras and Amroha respectively. The cabinet also restored the name of King George's Medical University (KGMU), which was changed to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University in the BSP regime.

The Samajwadi Party had during the assembly election campaign earlier this year promised to restore the original name of all districts which were renamed by Mayawati during her tenure as Chief Minister.