The Union minister Giriraj Singh stored praises on Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath for changing the name of Allahabad on Monday to Prayagraj and demanded that Nitish Kumar government also rechristen Bakhtiyarpur, Akbarpur and other places which were named after medieval Muslim rulers.

The union minister, known for his controversial remarks, advocated erasing all signs of Mughal and medieval era rulers, terming them as invaders who destroyed Indian culture and compared them to Britishers.

He said all Muslims in India are descendants of Lord Rama, and not Mughals, and they will help Hindus build Ram Temple at Ayodhya. “Tell me, if my brother converts and I decide against it, how can forefathers of our next generation be different? Their lineage can’t change. So, I believe, the same blood is running through Muslims. They are descendants of Lord Rama,” Giriraj Singh added.

Praising Yogi Adityanath for changing the name of Allahabad, the union minister said pronouncing Prayagraj is more cultural and gives a ‘spiritual feeling’. “There would be more than 100 such Mughal names which must be changed,” he said.