Bharti, Pragya Thakur seek renaming of some places in Bhopal

LalGhati was named because of the blood of Dost Mohammed Khansson.Halali was named so as Hindu kings were killed there.These all names should be changed and real history would bere-established.Uma didi is making efforts in this regard forrenaming.

Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti andthe party's Lok Sabha member Pragya Singh Thakur have demandedrenaming of certain places located in and around Bhopal,including Halali Dam and Islam Nagar.

Bharti on Monday sought renaming of Halali Dam, apopular picnic spot located on the outskirts of Bhopal, sayingthe current name conveys a sense of ''betrayal and hatred''.

Pragya Thakur, the BJP Lok Sabha member from Bhopal,on Tuesday backed Bharti's demand and also sought change innames of some other places, including Lal Ghati and IslamNagar, in the Madhya Pradesh capital.

Bharti has written a letter to Berasia BJP MLA VishnuKhatri, saying the name ''Halali'' is an ''expression ofbetrayal, deception and inhumanity inhistorical perspective''.

The former Union minister urged Khatri to take up theissue of name change with Minister for Culture and TourismUsha Thakur.

The dam falls under the Berasia Assembly segment ofBhopal district.

In her letter, Bharti said Dost Mohammed Khan, thefounder of the state of Bhopal, had killed his friendly kingsat Halali, where water of the nearby river had turned red dueto their blood.

''So the name of this place evokes a sense of hatred,''the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said.

The BJP leader said as per her knowledge, the name ofthe place has been changed, but it's not reflected onsignboards put up by the authorities.

On the other hand, MLA Khatri told PTI that the nameof the water body is Samrat Ashok Dam in government records.

But the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism DevelopmentCorporation still writes the place as Halali Dam on theirsignboards, he said.

The ruling party MLA said he has written a letter toMinister Usha Thakur urging her to change the name of the site(to Samrat Ashok Dam) as per government records.

Meanwhile, Pragya Thakur backed Bharti's demand andsought change in names of some other places, too.

Local residents have demanded that the name of IslamNagar be changed because there was no such place earlier. LalGhati was named because of the blood of Dost Mohammed Khansson.

''Halali was named so as Hindu kings were killed there.

These all names should be changed and real history would bere-established.

''Uma didi is making efforts in this regard (forrenaming). I am also making efforts in this direction,'' theLok Sabha MP said.