People are opposed to BJP's plan of renaming Ahmedabad: Gujarat Cong

The Gujarat Congress Monday claimed that the people of Ahmedabad had launched a "public movement" to prevent the authorities from changing the city's name to Karnavati, even as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) issued a warning to those against the renaming.

Earlier on November 8, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had said the name change could be effected before next year's Lok Sabha election and claimed that it was the people's demand for long.

"People have been demanding for long that Ahmedabad be renamed as Karnavati. The government is considering the demand. The consultation process has started (to find out) if legally we can do it. After the consultations, we will take a concrete step," the chief minister had said.

 

Gujarat Congress chief Amit Chavda Monday said people's "feelings" were associated with the historic city.

"Ahmedabad is a historic city. UNESCO has given it the prestigious tag of Heritage City. We all take pride in being residents of this city. People's feelings are associated with this city for generations," he told reporters here.

"The people of Ahmedabad have taken up a movement to ensure that the city's name is not changed," Chavda claimed.

In another development, Gujarat Congress MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh Monday shot off a letter to Rupani on the issue and threatened to launch a stir if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government went ahead with the name change.

Shaikh, who represents the Dariyapur constituency here, claimed in his letter that the BJP government was trying to polarise the voters ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

"This city was established by Sultan Ahmed Shah in 1411. The ruling BJP is indulging in dirty politics by projecting a twisted version of history. The people of Ahmedabad are also against such a move to change its name, which is only aimed at polarising the voters ahead of the 2019 polls.

"Ahmedabad is a well accepted name among the masses. The renaming will adversely affect the communal harmony and peaceful atmosphere of the city. Such dirty politics must end. I will launch a stir against such politics of polarisation," Shaikh said in the letter.

Meanwhile, irked over the Congress's stand on the renaming, the VHP Monday issued a warning, saying "Hindus" would not "tolerate" any attempt to stall the process of renaming Ahmedabad as Karnavati.

It further said "Babur devotees" would be taught a lesson if they put up hurdles in the renaming of the city.

"We have learned that some Babur devotees and elements having political interests are creating obstacles. We want to warn them that Hindus will end their political career if they do not stop their activities. Karnavati is a well accepted name and all the Hindus support it," a VHP statement said.

According to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) website, King Karandev I, a Solanki dynasty ruler, had established the city of Karnavati on the banks of the Sabarmati river in the 11th century, after defeating Bhil king Ashapall.

Gujarat was conquered by the Sultanate of Delhi at the end of the 13th century and in 1411, Ahmed Shah, who had rebelled against his overlords in Delhi, had founded Ahmedabad next to the old city of Ashval or Karnavati, the AMC website informs.

Mughal emperor Akbar had conquered the province of Gujarat in 1573. The Mughal rule had ended in 1753 when the armies of Maratha generals -- Raghunath Rao and Damaji Gaekwad -- took over Ahmedabad.

In 1818, the city came under the rule of the British East India Company.