MP Speaker fires salvo at Digvijaya over Hoshangabad renaming: 'Change your name to Yunus'

On Saturday, Madhya Pradesh Protem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma hit back at senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh over his remark on the renaming of Hoshangabad to Narmadapuram. Questioning whether renaming cities will end unemployment, curb inflation and make the country prosper, the Rajya Sabha MP asked the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government to stop the drama of renaming places. Turning Singh's argument on his head, Sharma contended that there was no connection between unemployment and name change. 

Stressing that the change in name reflects a sense of strength, he dared the Congress MP to change his name to 'Yunus'. Lamenting that the city was named after a looter Hoshang Shah, Sharma elaborated on the glorious history of the Narmada river. Escalating his attack further, the BJP leader contended that Congress was unhappy just because Hoshangabad was being renamed after Narmada. Incidentally, Sharma had himself demanded the renaming of Hoshangabad and Idgah Hills in Bhopal in November 2020. 

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MP Protem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma remarked, "I want to ask Digvijay Singh ji- did unemployment end when the name was not changed. The change in name reflects a sense of strength. Who was Hoshang Shah? Will you teach the history of looters or that of Narmada? Narmada is the one that provides water to every field. Narmada is the one who provides water to every house. Narmada is the one who provides water to the capital. You were doing the drama of doing parikrama around Narmada. Now, why is your stomach is aching because Narmada's name cropped up? You change your name. Keep it Yunus. And rename 'Pappu Bhaiya' to Ismail."

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Renaming of Hoshangabad

Earlier on Friday, the MP CM made the official announcement about the renaming of Hoshangabad to Narmadapuram. This development was preceded by Chouhan performing 'aarti' on the banks of the Narmada river on the occasion of Narmada Jayanti in Hoshangabad. Writing on Twitter, he stated, "Cities situated on the banks of Narmada river will be developed naturally, we will not allow cement concrete forests to be built there. Hoshangabad will now be known as Narmadapuram". Moreover, he added that a proposal in this regard will be sent to the Centre for approval. 

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