UP Minister calls for renaming Agra's Shahjahan Garden after Ahilyabai Holkar

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Women Welfare Minister Baby Rani Maurya has proposed that the historic Shahjahan Garden in Agra be renamed in honour of Ahilyabai Holkar, the renowned queen of the Malwa Kingdom known for her contributions to women's empowerment.

In a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Maurya urged that the Mughal-era green space, located between the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, be dedicated to Holkar’s legacy. "Yes, I wrote to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji on the issue and my proposal to name the Shahjahan Garden after progressive queen Ahilyabai Holkar, who did a lot for women's empowerment. It would soon be a reality, as our governments have always promoted women's empowerment," she told PTI.

Maurya, who represents the Agra Dehat constituency, said she deeply identifies with Holkar and believes renaming the garden would serve as an inspiration for women and visitors from across the world. “So I feel that the renaming of this garden that draws people from across the globe would inspire the masses, women in particular … there is nothing wrong in such renaming,” she said.

She further noted that instructions have already been issued to look into the matter of renaming the garden.

The demand comes amid a broader trend in Uttar Pradesh to rename cities and landmarks bearing Mughal-era names. On March 29, posters appeared in Muzaffarnagar calling for the district to be renamed ‘Laxminagar.’ Similar proposals have been made in recent years to rename Aligarh as Harigarh, Mainpuri as Mayanpuri, Sambhal as Prithviraj Nagar or Kalki Nagar, Sultanpur as Kushbhavanpur, and Ghazipur as Gadhipuri.

The Uttar Pradesh government has previously renamed Allahabad to Prayagraj and Faizabad to Ayodhya. These moves have sparked criticism from opposition parties, who argue that such initiatives are aimed at diverting public attention from more pressing governance issues.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Sharvendra Bikaram Singh said such renaming campaigns have become a trend among BJP leaders. “Its leaders make such demands because the BJP has failed. The government should instead focus on the real development issues that can benefit the common man,” Singh remarked.

With PTI inputs