VHP Demands Delhi Be Renamed ‘Indraprastha’, Submits Proposal to Government.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has demanded that the national capital, Delhi, be officially renamed to ‘Indraprastha’ to reconnect the city with its ancient history and cultural roots, which they claim span 5,000 years. The Delhi unit of the VHP recently submitted a detailed letter outlining this demand and others to Delhi Culture Minister Kapil Mishra.
Key Demands and Proposals:
Renaming the Capital: The VHP’s central proposal is to change the name of Delhi back to ‘Indraprastha’, arguing that the current name only reflects a history of about 2,000 years, while ‘Indraprastha’ connects it to a “glorious history spanning 5,000 years,” linked to the Mahabharata epic.
Renaming Key Landmarks: The VHP has also sought to rename several major city landmarks after ‘Indraprastha’, including:
Indira Gandhi International Airport to Indraprastha International Airport.
Old Delhi Railway Station to Indraprastha Railway Station.
Shahjahanabad Development Board to Indraprastha Development Board.
Inclusion of Hindu Heritage: VHP Delhi Prant Secretary Surendra Kumar Gupta stated in the letter that the city’s heritage walks should be modified to include forts, temples, and monuments associated with Hindu kings, alongside existing memorials, to ensure a balanced presentation of the city’s overall history.
Memorial and Education: The letter also demanded the establishment of a “grand memorial” and a “Raja Hemchandra Vikramaditya Sainik Vidyalaya” (Military School) in Delhi, named after King Hemchandra Vikramaditya. Furthermore, it requested that the history of Hemchandra Vikramaditya and the Pandava-era Indraprastha be included in Delhi’s education curriculum.
The VHP mentioned that these proposals stem from suggestions gathered from scholars, historians, and public representatives during a recent event called ‘Indraprastha Punarjagran Sankalp Sabha’ (Indraprastha Reawakening Resolution Assembly).
The VHP’s move reflects a long-standing demand by certain Hindutva groups to rename places in India to reflect indigenous or ancient Hindu names. The proposal is currently with the Delhi government.