Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced on Monday that his government will move a proposal to rename Mustafabad village in Lakhimpur Kheri district as 'Kabirdham'. He asserted that the change would restore the area's historical and cultural identity linked with the revered saint, Sant Kabir.
The Chief Minister stated that the name change aligns with previous decisions by his administration to "restore" the original names of places that were altered by former rulers.
Addressing a gathering during the "Smriti Mahotsav Mela 2025," Adityanath said the UP government is now focused on reviving sites with religious and cultural significance, as opposed to spending funds on "constructing boundary walls of 'kabristan' (graveyards)."
The Chief Minister claimed he was surprised to learn that the village was named Mustafabad despite having no Muslim population.
"When I asked about this village, I was told its name is Mustafabad. I asked how many Muslims live here, and I was told there are none. Then I said the name should be changed. It should be called Kabirdham," he informed the audience.
Adityanath added that his government would seek a formal proposal for the name change and take the necessary administrative steps. "We will bring the proposal and take it forward. This is about restoring the honour of a place associated with Sant Kabir's legacy," he said.
He compared this planned change with the renaming initiatives undertaken by his government in recent years. "Those who ruled earlier renamed Ayodhya as Faizabad, Prayagraj as Allahabad, and Kabirdham as Mustafabad. Our government is reversing that—restoring Ayodhya, restoring Prayagraj, and now reviving Kabirdham to its rightful name," he stated.
The Chief Minister also emphasised that the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "double-engine government" is committed to developing and beautifying all places of faith across the state.
"We have said every pilgrimage site should be beautified. Facilities for devotees such as rest houses and shelters should be built, and through the tourism and culture departments, we are reviving every major site of faith—be it Kashi, Ayodhya, Kushinagar, Naimisharanya, Mathura-Vrindavan, Barsana, Gokul or Govardhan," he said.
He claimed that public funds are now being directed towards cultural and religious rejuvenation projects, unlike earlier times. "Earlier, this money used to go for constructing boundary walls of 'kabristan'. Now it is being used to develop our centres of faith and heritage," he remarked.
Adityanath concluded that such efforts reflect a sense of cultural pride and continuity. "This is the spirit of belongingness, a revival of our civilisational identity. The government will continue to work towards restoring the glory of sites that reflect India's spiritual and cultural roots," he added.
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