DEHRADUN: Residents of Dehradun’s Miyanwala area, largely from the Rajput community, have opposed chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami‘s proposal to rename the area as Ramjiwala, claiming that the place’s history dates back centuries and the name has been around even before the Doon valley became a settlement. Miyanwala is among the 15 areas in the state that Dhami had announced would be renamed. Residents said that the ‘Miyan’ in the area’s name is not the commonly-understood Urdu word, but a title once bestowed upon members of the Rajput community. In some families, the title is still used, which they added, is how the place got its name.
Stressing that the name has “no connection to the Mughals”, J S Panwar, a resident, said, “In the 17th century, the then-ruling Garhwali king, Raja Fateh Shah, gave three villages to Guru Ram Rai, eldest son of the 7th Sikh guru, Guru Har Rai, when he set up his dera in the Doon valley (after which Dehradun gets its name). Eventually, four more villages were gifted to him, including Miyanwala. The Garhwali kings, our ancestors, defended this region with their might, and the area’s history should not be tainted for anyone’s political gain.”
Another resident, 79-year-old Kamla Devi, added, “I was born in Miyanwala, I was married here, and I hope to die in peace here. Since childhood, we have heard stories of the bravery of the Rajputs from here. If we change the name now, my great-granddaughters will never know the real history.”
The residents have formed a committee and urged authorities to reconsider the decision. “We shared our objections with the CM in a meeting and were assured that the name will not be changed and the area’s history will not be lost,” said Mahendra Butola, who is part of the residents’ committee that is protesting the move.
Earlier, the protesters had also submitted a memorandum to the district authorities. Revenue department officials said all relevant documents and land records will be verified in the coming days to validate the claims.
Meanwhile, locals said they have called for a protest on Sunday evening at Miyanwala Chowk to keep the pressure on the govt to not go ahead with the name change.
Stressing that the name has “no connection to the Mughals”, J S Panwar, a resident, said, “In the 17th century, the then-ruling Garhwali king, Raja Fateh Shah, gave three villages to Guru Ram Rai, eldest son of the 7th Sikh guru, Guru Har Rai, when he set up his dera in the Doon valley (after which Dehradun gets its name). Eventually, four more villages were gifted to him, including Miyanwala. The Garhwali kings, our ancestors, defended this region with their might, and the area’s history should not be tainted for anyone’s political gain.”
Another resident, 79-year-old Kamla Devi, added, “I was born in Miyanwala, I was married here, and I hope to die in peace here. Since childhood, we have heard stories of the bravery of the Rajputs from here. If we change the name now, my great-granddaughters will never know the real history.”
The residents have formed a committee and urged authorities to reconsider the decision. “We shared our objections with the CM in a meeting and were assured that the name will not be changed and the area’s history will not be lost,” said Mahendra Butola, who is part of the residents’ committee that is protesting the move.
Earlier, the protesters had also submitted a memorandum to the district authorities. Revenue department officials said all relevant documents and land records will be verified in the coming days to validate the claims.
Meanwhile, locals said they have called for a protest on Sunday evening at Miyanwala Chowk to keep the pressure on the govt to not go ahead with the name change.