BJP MP from Delhi's Chandni Chowk, Praveen Khandelwal, announced at a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) event that Delhi would be renamed 'Indraprastha', which is the capital of the Pandavas of Mahabharata. He also promised to change the names of Old Delhi Railway Station, Indira Gandhi International Airport, and Shahjahanabad Development Authority. This announcement is a new plan to distort India's historical identity and please 'Andh Bhakts' (blind followers), and it is now giving rise to a political controversy.
Details of the Announcement:
On October 18, 2025, at the VHP event held at the Constitution Club of India, Khandelwal, who is an RSS volunteer, said: "The debate on Indraprastha begins with the Pandavas, which is the original identity of Delhi." He announced the installation of statues of the five Pandavas in Chandni Chowk on behalf of the Indraprastha Yoga Kshema Seva Trust. VHP's National Organization General Secretary Vinayakrao demanded to free Delhi's history from 'Mughal slavery', while BJP leader Locket Chatterjee was present. Khandelwal announced that he would meet the ministers of Railways and Civil Aviation to present the proposal for changing the names.
Political Context:
This announcement is part of a movement to change the name of the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Authority (SDMC), which claims to restore India's cultural heritage. VHP's Rao said: "Delhi's history begins with Mahabharata, not with the Mughals." He demanded monuments for Hindu kings at Humayun's Tomb and declared the tunnel from Red Fort to Sheesh Mahal to be part of the Pandava era. The BJP leader said that "the restoration of Indraprastha is India's civilizational pride."
However, the opposition termed it a "political drama," with Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stating: "This obsession with renaming is an attempt to divert attention from real issues." A debate has also sparked over the historical significance of Delhi's current names, where Indira Gandhi Airport and Old Delhi Station are symbols of Delhi's modern history.
"The restoration of Indraprastha will remind us of the glory and grandeur of Mahabharata." — Praveen Khandelwal
References:
The Hindu, India Today, Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, X Post
