Yogi’s next step, Allahbad’s new name to be Prayagraj soon

Lucknow: On the backdrop of All India Akhara Parishad declaring the names of 14 saints as fake babas in the country, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today accepted the demand of the Akhara Parishad to re-christian Allahabad city as Prayagraj besides taking action against the fake babas. During a meeting with the Chief Minister and the members of the Akhara Parishad here, Mr Adityanath has accepted the demand of the saints to rename the city of Allahabad as Prayagraj. Akhara president Mahant Narendra Giri told reporters after more than one-hour-long meeting, Mr Adityanath has accepted the proposal of the saints of the Akhara Parishad to rename Allahabad as Prayagraj.

Though the meeting was held in view of the preparation for the coming Ardh Kumbh Mela in Allahabad in early 2019, the Akhara Parishad members also raised the issue of fake babas in the country earning bad name for the Hindu religion. Around 26 saints representing 13 Akharas of the country were present during the meeting. "The Chief Minister assured us that he will take stern steps against these fake babas and promised not to provide them any facilities during the coming Ardh Kumbh Mela at Allahabad," Mahant Giri said. In 2001, the then Chief Minister Rajnath Singh and the then Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri too had assured for change of the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj during the Kumbh Mela but they could not fulfill it.

Former Union minister Kalraj Mishra was state BJP president at that time. Allahabad was renamed in 1580 by Mughal emperor Akbar from Prayag as he said it was a place of Allah(God) and hence it should be known as Allah-bad. Meanwhile, reaction has started to pour in against the Akhara Parishad after they declared 14 babas including Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Asaram Bapu, Radhe Maa and others as fake on Sunday in Allahabad. However, one of the announced fake babas Kush Muni's disciple Jyoti Giri has shot off a notice to the Akhara Parishad today challenging the decision.

In the notice, Jyoti Giri said Akhara Parishad has no authority to take such decision and announced its order as fake too. The Akhara Parishad announced that they will boycott these 14 so called fake saints and have appealed to the masses not to get attached to these fake babas. Earlier, after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was given 20 years imprisonment in two rape cases, the Akhara Parishad had gone vocal and called the emergency meeting to identify the fake saints.

The parishad's president said these fake saints have hurt the Sanatan dharma and now they should be punished. "The names of the 14 fake saints would be sent to all the Centre and the state government besides to all the four Sankaracharyas and chief of the 13 Akharas so that these people are boycotted," Mahant said. He added that these fake saints would not be allowed to get government facilities in Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh mela and other religious fairs and functions.

The list of the fake babas are Ashumal Shirmalani alias Asharam Bapu, Sukhvinder Kaur alias Radhe Maa, Sachin Dutt alias Sacchinand Giri, Gurmeet Ram Rahim of Dera Sacha Sauda, Vivekanand Jha alias Om Baba, Nirmalpreet Singh alias Nirmal Baba, Shivmurti Dwivedi alias Icchadhar Bhimanand, Swami Aseemanand, Om Namo Shivaya, Narain Sai(son of Asharam Bapu), Ram Pal, Bhrispati Giri ,Kushmuni and Malkhan Giri. (UNI)