Kushwaha demands renaming of Patna as Patliputra

Patna: Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief and MP Upendra Kushwaha on Wednesday demanded renaming Bihar capital Patna as Patliputra.Participating in the discussion on the motion of thanks on the President’s address in the Rajya Sabha, Kushwaha said Patliputra is a symbol of India’s glorious history and cultural heritage and, therefore, the state capital should be given back its ancient name.Emphasising his suggestion, Kushwaha cited the examples of renaming Calcutta as Kolkata and Orissa as Odisha. “Bombay was also renamed as Mumbai. When the names of all these cities can be changed, why can’t Patna be renamed as Patliputra?” he asked.“During the Mauryan period, the borders of our country included Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Nepal. The symbols of that era are still present as remnants of the past. Therefore, it is our duty to clear the dust that has settled on those historical periods and bring them back to life,” the former Union minister said.He said when Bihar was under the Mauryan rule, its glory and prestige were the highest in the entire world. “The history of Bihar during that period is a source of great pride,” he said.In a significant statement to clear confusion regarding caste enumeration under Census 2027, Union minister of state for home affairs, Nityanand Rai, clarified in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha that the Census process in India will traditionally be completed in two phases. He also said caste-related data will also be collected in the second phase of the Census.