Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approves renaming of Allahabad to Prayagraj.

On Saturday, Yogi Adityanath announced a proposal to rename the historic city of Allahabad and make it Prayagraj, ahead of the 2019 Kumbh Mela. He had said that the governor had given his nod and in case of a consensus, the name will be changed soon. On Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet approved the CM's proposal to rename Allahabad.

"It might be the wish of many people that Allahabad can be renamed Prayagraj. It will be a very good message. If everyone agrees, we should know this city as Prayagraj and it can be a good start," the Chief Minister had said earlier.

According to multiple reports the minister wants to rename the city ahead of the 2019 Kumbh Mela that will draw seers, pundits, tantrics and others from across the country.

The move has drawn protests from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

Congress leader Onkar Singh said that the site where the Kumbh Mela takes place is already called Prayag, adding that if the minister wanted they could have made Prayagraj a different city, without any change of name.

Akhilesh Yadav, former CM of Uttar Pradesh blasted Chief Minister Yogi on Twitter and said that he wants to show that he is working just by changing names of places. "They have even re-named Ardh Kumbh to Kumbh. This is toying with tradition and belief," he said.

"Prayag is where Lord Brahma performed the first yagna. The confluence of two rivers is a 'prayag', and in Allahabad three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet. Hence, it is the king of 'prayags'. That is why it is 'Prayagraj'," the Chief Minister said explaining the root of the name, as mentioned in agency reports.

Prayag is the erstwhile name of Allahabad that was changed after Mughal emperor Akbar built a fort near Sangam, where the holy rivers of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati met. He named the fort and its neighbouring area Ilahabad, which was later changed by his son Shah Jahan to Allahabad. However, the area near the confluence where Kumbh Mela is held is still called Prayag.

The UP government recently renamed the historic Mughalsarai Railway Station as well. It has been renamed Deen Dayal Upadhyaya junction.