BJP MP Asks Adityanath To Rename Farrukhabad District as Panchal Nagar

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

(Photo: The Quint)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Mukesh Rajput on Friday, 1 April, wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, demanding that Farrukhabad district be renamed as Panchal Nagar or Aparkashi.

The MP said that in times of the Mahabharata, the area was called Panchala, the kingdom ruled by Pandava queen Draupadi’s father Drupad.

Rajput said, “The capital of King Drupad was Kampil, which is located in the district and where Draupadi’s ‘swayamvar’ had taken place,” news agency PTI reported.

Stating that the history of Farrukhabad is very rich since the age of Puranas, he said, “The Army of King Drupad used to reside in the Cantonment area. Today, there are two regimental centres–Rajput Regiment and Sikh LI.”

Stressing on the religious importance of Kampil to both Hindus and Jains, he further added, “The first Jain Teerthankar Rishabhadeva had delivered a sermon here. Sankissa is a world famous pilgrim place for the Buddhists. Countries like Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma (Myanmar) and Japan have built big Baudh Viharas here.”

“Like Kashi, ‘Shivalayas’ (temples of Lord Shiva) exist in every bylane, hence, this city (Farrukhabad) is also called ‘Aparkashi’,” the BJP MP added.

Reasoning that in 1714, Mughal ruler Farrukhsiyar changed the name of the city to Farrukhabad, Rajput requested that to “revive the Indian culture”, the name of Farrukhabad district should be changed to Panchal Nagar or Aparkashi.

(With inputs from PTI.)