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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday announced that his government would move a proposal to rename Mustafabad village in Lakhimpur Kheri district as Kabirdham, saying the change sought to revive the region’s historical and cultural link with the 15th-century saint, Sant Kabir. Speaking at the Smriti Mahotsav Mela 2025, Adityanath said the renaming was part of his government’s ongoing effort to “restore” original names of places that were altered in the past. The UP chief minister remarked that such steps were necessary to protect and promote India’s spiritual and cultural heritage. The chief minister said he was surprised to learn that Mustafabad had no Muslim residents despite its name. “When I asked about this village, I was told its name is Mustafabad. I asked how many Muslims live here, and I was told there are none. Then I said the name should be changed. It should be called Kabirdham,” he told the gathering. Adityanath added that a formal proposal for the name change would be brought forward soon. “We will bring the proposal and take it forward. This is about restoring the honour of a place associated with Sant Kabir’s legacy,” he said. Drawing parallels with previous renaming decisions, Adityanath said his government had earlier reinstated the names of Ayodhya and Prayagraj, which had been changed by former rulers. “Our government is reversing that — restoring Ayodhya, restoring Prayagraj, and now reviving Kabirdham to its rightful name,” he noted. The chief minister also underlined the state government’s focus on developing religious and cultural sites. He said funds were now being spent on rejuvenating pilgrimage centres instead of “building boundary walls of kabristan (graveyards)”. Highlighting projects across Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura-Vrindavan, Kushinagar and other sacred sites, Adityanath said the “double-engine government” was committed to beautifying every major centre of faith. “This is the spirit of belongingness, a revival of our civilisational identity. The government will continue to work towards restoring the glory of sites that reflect India’s spiritual and cultural roots,” he concluded. (With inputs from PTI)
