Changing names won’t bring development: UP minister on renaming of Mughalsarai railway station

Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has yet again made a remark causing embarrassment to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. He took a dig at the government over renaming Mughalsarai railway station to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay junction.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Rajbhar said that changing of name won’t bring development to Uttar Pradesh, adding that the need was to ensure that trains reached their destinations without delay.

“By changing Mughalsarai station's name to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, trains won't start coming on time, they should rectify the mismanagement in railways. Changing of names won't lead to development,” said Om Prakash Rajbhar.

This came just hours after the name of Mughalsarai railway station was officially renamed after Deen Dayal Upadhyay. The event was attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP national president Amit Shah.

The main building of the station has been given a saffron touch while new signboards were put up to reflect the change. Indian Railways also said that it would update its information channels to show the new name.

The station is the fourth-busiest in India and is 20 kilometers from Varanasi. It also has the largest railway marshalling yard in Asia. It is also home to Indian Railways' largest wagon repair workshop.

Notably, there are also demands in Uttar Pradesh to rename Allahabad as Prayag. BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh had last month written a letter to UP Governor Ram Naik, seeking the change in name of the holy city.

Singh had said, “Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik (then MP from Maharashtra) had helped 'Bombay' to be renamed as 'Mumbai'.  I have written to him to consider renaming Allahabad as 'Prayag'.”

Allahabad is considered the oldest living city in the country after Varanasi. As per the 2011 census, Allahabad was the seventh most populous city in Uttar Pradesh.

The name Prayag comes from the popular Sangam, confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers. The city holds religious significance for members of Hindu community as it hosts the grand Mahakumbh.