Union Minister Giriraj Singh has demanded that Bakhtiyarpur and other towns and cities in Bihar named after Muslim invaders be rechristened, as is being done in the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.
Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal on Monday slammed BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh for demanding renaming of Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district. JD(U) is ruling Bihar in alliance with the BJP.
The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, led by Yogi Adityanath, has renamed the Mughalsarai Railway Junction as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Junction, and recently changed the name of Allahabad city to Prayagraj.
Bakhtiyarpur is named after Bakhtiyar Khilji - the military general of Qutb-ud-Aibak - who destroyed the famed Nalanda University in late 12 century.
JD(U) spokesperson Sanjay Singh said, "There is no question of change in name of any district or town in Bihar."
Sanjay Singh, considered close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, dared Giriraj to change the name of Bakhtiyarpur.
"Who is Giriraj Singh to change the name of Bakhtitarpur or any district of Bihar," RJD leader Bhai Virender said.
Giriraj Singh is a BJP Lok Sabha member from Bihar's Nawada constituency, and is a Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.
IANS
