Maharashtra: The central government on Friday approved renaming the cities Aurangabad to “Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar” and Osmanabad to “Dharashiv.” Devendra Fadnavis, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, announced the news on Twitter.
History of Aurangabad and Osmanabad
Aurangabad was named after the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, while Osmanabad was named after a 20th-century ruler of Hyderabad’s princely state.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s eldest son, Chhatrapati Sambhaji, was the second ruler of the Maratha state founded by his father. On Aurangzeb’s orders, Sambhaji Maharaj was executed in 1689.
According to some scholars, Dharashiv, the name of a cave complex near Osmanabad, dates back to the 8th century. Hindu right-wing organisations had long demanded that the two cities be renamed.
Fadnavis expresses his gratitude to PM Modi and Amit Shah
Devendra Fadnavis in a tweet expressed his gratitude towards PM Modi and Amit Shah through letters. According to the letters, the Center has no objections to the renaming of these two central Maharashtra cities.
➡️ औरंगाबादचे ‘छत्रपती संभाजीनगर’,
➡️ उस्मानाबादचे ‘धाराशिव’ !
राज्य सरकारच्या निर्णयाला केंद्र सरकारची मंजुरी !
मा. पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदीजी आणि केंद्रीय मंत्री मा. अमितभाई शाह यांचे कोटी-कोटी आभार!
मुख्यमंत्री @mieknathshinde जी यांच्या नेतृत्त्वातील सरकारने ‘करुन दाखविले’…! pic.twitter.com/IfXbdFec7r— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 24, 2023
Notably, renaming Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv was the final decision of the cabinet of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-Congress government, which fell apart last June after Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray. Shinde’s new government overturned the cabinet decision and made a new one.
AIMIM leader tweeted
Imtiaz Jaleel, MP for Aurangabad and leader of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), responded to the news by tweeting that they will show their support for Aurangabad.
➡️ औरंगाबादचे ‘छत्रपती संभाजीनगर’,
➡️ उस्मानाबादचे ‘धाराशिव’ !
राज्य सरकारच्या निर्णयाला केंद्र सरकारची मंजुरी !
मा. पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदीजी आणि केंद्रीय मंत्री मा. अमितभाई शाह यांचे कोटी-कोटी आभार!
मुख्यमंत्री @mieknathshinde जी यांच्या नेतृत्त्वातील सरकारने ‘करुन दाखविले’…! pic.twitter.com/IfXbdFec7r— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 24, 2023
He tweeted, “Aurangabad is, was and will always be our city. Now wait for our show of strength for Aurangabad. A massive morcha for our beloved city! Get ready Aurangabadis to defeat these forces (BJP) playing politics in the name of our city. We condemn & we will fight.”
Ambadas Danve, leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), said the renaming was a victory for Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray’s stand. Danve, the Maharashtra Legislative Council’s opposition leader, tweeted that Thackeray “renamed” Aurangabad Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on May 9, 1988.
