On 12th June 2023, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Bageshwar Dham demanded to rename Aligarh as Harigarh. After this statement, Maulana Mufti Jahid – a retired professor from Aligarh Muslim University – criticised the Hindu saint. Maulana Mufti Jahid said that Dhirendra Shastri’s statement is perplexing. Maulana Mufti Jahid said that this statement will fill hearts with hatred and that religion and politics should not be mixed.
Maulana Mufti Jahid said, “The statement made by Dhirendra Shastri, who suggests changing the name of Aligarh to Harigarh, shows a lack of understanding. Such statements breed hatred in people’s hearts. Mixing politics with religion is wrong. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath does not want to change the name of Aligarh. The district was named after Hazrat Ali, and the CM does not intend to alter this name. This is a positive thing.”
Maulana Mufti Jahid added, “During the Sultanate and Mughal periods, it was known by the name “Kol.” The name “Kol” has not been eliminated. Even today, there is a legislative assembly in Aligarh district called “Kol.” The British named it Aligarh. Before that, this district was known as Akbarabad and Jalali. In 1903, it separated from Bulandshahr.”
He further said, “Statements like these are made only to sow discord and create distance. They are a small faction that indulges in politics in the name of religion. The country is grappling with poverty and unemployment. Politics does not revolve around these core issues. The British wouldn’t have succeeded if we didn’t have divisions amongst ourselves. This will breed hatred in the country. Love and affection cannot flourish in the country by such statements.”
According to Maulana Mufti Jahid, the true purpose of religion is to cultivate humanity within individuals, fostering empathy and compassion. It should not give rise to political agendas, social hierarchies, discrimination, or the intent to divide a nation. Maulana Mufti Jahid said that Dhirendra Shastri’s statement can incite discord in the country. Interestingly, he made these assertions while wanting the names given during the times of the Mughals, who were tyrants murdering and converting Hindus, to be preserved.
Mulana Mufti Jahid said, “If the intention behind changing the name were noble, then changing the name would hold some significance. However, the manner in which the proposal to change the name is being made reflects a lack of careful consideration. In this country, everyone has the right, regardless of whether they are Hindu or Muslim, or belong to any other community. Our country follows a system that does not discriminate against anyone.”
Earlier, on 12th June 2023, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of the Bageshwar Dham said that Aligarh should be renamed Harigarh. He issued a statement via a late-night video conference. Near Khereshwar Dham in the Lodha area, along the Palwal road, the 108 Kundiyai Mahalakshmi Dhanvarsha Mahayagya and Shrimad Bhagwat Katha are currently taking place in Haridaspur village. On Monday, during the Bhagwat Katha, the narrator Indresh Upadhyay was delivering the discourse. At that time, through a video conference, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri expressed his inability to participate in the Bhagwat Katha and proposed changing the name of Aligarh to Harigarh.
