Mega agitation against city’s renaming

Chhatrapati Sambhjainagar: Members of the Muslim Numainda Council (MNC) demonstrated in front of the divisional commissioner's office on Saturday afternoon in protest against the renaming of the city.

It may be noted that the State Government renamed ‘Aurangabad’ as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar last month. Various Muslim organisations started agitation over the past few days. The indefinite agitation led by MP Imitaj Jaleel was called off on Friday.

The MNC staged a mega demonstration in front of the divisional commissioner’s office between 2 pm and 5 pm today.

A stage was established at Delhi Gate by the Council. The dignitaries expressed their strong displeasure over the issue of the renaming. The dignitaries said that the Government should establish a new city and name it Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

“The name of the city as Aurangabad is famous across the world. The city has unusual importance from a historical point of view. Poor people are struggling for survival. Ignoring their basic issues, the Government renamed the city. What has it achieved by renaming the city? they questioned.

All the dignitaries said they have high respect for Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharajm but, he had no relation with the city. “The main objective behind the renaming appears to be creating a rift between two communities,” they added. After the agitation, the MNC delegation submitted a memorandum to the divisional commissioner's office.

Council president Salim Siddiqui, MP Imtiaz Jaleel, State unit president of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi Rekha Thakur, BSP district president Samadhan Jadhav, Council organiser Ziauddin Siddiqui, Maulana Abdul Rashid Madni, Qadir Maulana, Shoeb Khusro, Awez Ahmed, Maulana Anwar-ul-Haque Ishati, Kamran Ali Khan, Maulana Sharif Nizami, adv Faiz Syed, Sk Muntajiboddin, Mirza Salim Baig, Abdul Moid Hashar, Ekbal Ansari, Mohsin Ahmed, Ejaj Nehru, Abdul Qayyum Nadvi, adv Salim Khan, Shoeb Siddiqui, Manan Khan, Yaser Siddiqui, Adil Madani and others were prominent among those present.