A day after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to rename Hoshangabad city as Narmadapuram, a war of words has begun between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh questioned the move asking whether renaming cities will end unemployment, curb inflation and make the country prosper? He said that the government should stop this drama of renaming cities.

His comment did not go well with the BJP. Madhya Pradesh Protem Speaker and senior BJP leader Rameshwar Sharma hit back at Singh saying that if nothing happens by changing names, Digvijaya Singh should change his name to Yunus. “I want to ask Digvijaya Singh that was there no unemployment when names were not being changed? When names are changed, it reflects power and civilization. Who was Hoshang Shah? Will you teach the history of a robber or of Narmada? …. Even you (Digvijaya Singh) were enacting a drama of Narmada Parikrama. And now you have a problem with Narmada’s name. Change your name to Yunis, rename ‘Pappu Bhaiya’ to Ismail. It’ll tell you what happens when you rename,” said Sharma.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to rename the city during the Narmada Jayanti programme held in Hoshangabad last evening. He said a proposal in this regard will be sent to the Centre for approval.

Sharma had also made the demand to change the name of Hoshangabad to Narmadapuram. Reacting to the announcement by the CM, he termed it as historic. He said that Narmada is the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh and renaming the city after Maa Narmada is a matter of happiness. He said that Hoshangabad was so far named after an attacker Hoshang Shah.

According to PTI, Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesman Bhupendra Gupta had also criticised the move saying that the announcement is a ploy by the ruling party to divert the attention from raging issues like inflation and rising fuel prices.