No evidence to prove Hyderabad was once Bhagyanagar: ASI says in response to RTI

Hyderabad: The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has no details or historic evidence that proves that Hyderabad was once named Bhagyanagar.

In an RTI reply dated 4 August, the ASI Hyderabad circle said "no such details are available with this office" when asked whether Hyderabad was ever named Bhagnagar or Bhagyanagar and was later rechristened.

The RTI was filed by Robin Zaccheus, an RTI activist.

According to the RTI, the city of Hyderabad was never renamed.

ASI also stated it does not have any details, such as an inscription, miniature, or a coin of the period, that mentions the name Bhagmati or Bhagyanagar.

Further, ASI does not have any records of former Deputy Prime Minister of India Sardar Vallabhai Patel proposing/insisting on changing the name of Hyderabad city to Bhagyanagar or any other name.

In the RTI reply, ASI revealed that it does not have the details regarding which year the Bhagylaxmi Temple in Charminar, Hyderabad, was constructed. It also said it did not have any records or evidence that Bhagyalaxmi Temple or any other temple existed at the same place where the historic Charminar exists today.

According to historian and advocate Syed Ghiyasuddin, the Bhagyalkshmi temple was erected in the 1960's.

The origin of the temple is currently disputed. In 2012, the united Andhra Pradesh High Court stopped any further expansion of the temple. In 2013, ASI declared the temple structure as an unauthorised construction.

The Hyderabad-Bhagyanagar debate has been going on for a while. Multiple BJP leaders have made several comments regarding Hyderabad once being named Bhagyanagar. A BJP leader also publicly announced that Hyderabad would be renamed Bhagyanagar if the party comes to power in the upcoming state elections.

During the BJP's National Executive meeting in Hyderabad held on 3 July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Hyderabad as "Bhagyanagar."

"What is the need to bring up the necessity of renaming Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar when the ASI, a government organization, says it has no historic evidence of the name?" asked Robin in conversation with NewsMeter. He said the debate and the renaming are totally uncalled for. "This issue is just to create a diversion from common people's problems," he added.

Robin said the Central government should instead focus on real problems related to agriculture, economy, jobs, and more.