The lawmaker falsely claims it honours Dawood Ibrahim. Historians and locals say the station reflects Mughal-era legacy, not underworld links. Muslims call it an attack on identity
NEW DELHI/ALIGARH – In a move drawing sharp criticism from historians and local Muslim residents, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Member of Parliament Satish Gautam has sparked fresh controversy by demanding that the name of the Dawood Khan railway station in Aligarh be changed. The BJP MP wrote to the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, asking that the station be renamed Maharana Pratap station, while making the false and inflammatory claim that the name Dawood Khan is linked to wanted gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
Speaking to the media, Gautam claimed: “Dawood Khan has been a terrorist, who destroyed the vermilion of many sisters and daughters. People are scared to take his name. How can a railway station be named after him?”
His statement has triggered outrage among historians and Muslims across Uttar Pradesh, who say the name has nothing to do with the Mumbai underworld don, but is part of the region’s centuries-old Mughal-era heritage.
According to local historians and researchers, Dawood Khan was not a gangster but a Mughal-era commander who played an important administrative role in the region’s history.
Prof Shahid Ali, a retired history professor from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), said: “This is either a mistake or a deliberate attempt to erase Muslim history. Dawood Khan was a noble during the Mughal period, not a criminal. There is no link between him and Dawood Ibrahim.”
He added, “People must understand that this region has many names going back to medieval India. You cannot distort that history to suit a political agenda.”
The Dawood Khan railway station has carried this name for decades and has never been associated with crime or terrorism. It is used daily by hundreds of local passengers from nearby villages and towns.
Locals say they have never seen any trouble related to the name and call the latest demand “unnecessary provocation.”
Mohammed Jameel, a shopkeeper near the station, said: “We have grown up hearing this name. Nobody ever said it was named after a gangster. This is the first time anyone is making such a baseless connection.”
Another resident, Mehmood Ansari, added: “The BJP just wants to target anything that sounds Muslim. They are trying to rewrite history and insult our identity.”
This latest controversy is part of a larger pattern under the current BJP-led government, which has renamed several places with Muslim names in Uttar Pradesh. Many of these changes are presented as efforts to “honour Indian culture,” but critics say the motive is clear: to erase Muslim contributions from public memory.
Some of the changes include:
• Kasimpur Halt renamed to Jayas City,
• Mishrauli was renamed Maa Kalikan Dham,
• Jais renamed the Guru Gorakhnath station,
• Akbarganj renamed Ahorva Bhawani Dham,
• Fursatganj renamed Tapeshwar Dham,
• Nihalgarh renamed Maharaja Bijli Pasi,
• Parisganj Halt renamed Shaheed Bhale Sultan.
Many of these names were associated with Muslim rulers, poets, or historical figures. Historians argue that the renaming campaign ignores India’s pluralistic history.
Dr Nazneen Fatima, a political science lecturer, remarked: “This is not just about names. It is about identity and memory. They are trying to erase the role of Muslims from Indian history. It is dangerous and divisive.”
For Muslims in Aligarh and beyond, this attempt to rename Dawood Khan station is being seen as an insult and part of a growing pattern of humiliation.
Syed Umar, a university student, said: “They are changing names like we don’t belong here. But we are part of this country just as much as anyone else. Why are only Muslim names being targeted?”
Mohd Kaleem, a retired railway employee, asked: “If someone has a name like Dawood, does it mean he is a criminal? What about all the common Hindus named Ravan? Should their names be removed too?”
The BJP MP also claimed that there is “no Muslim village near the station,” suggesting this as a reason for the renaming. But residents say this argument holds no logic, as many stations in the country are not named after nearby villages but after historical figures or events.
Iqbal Hashmi, a local school teacher, said: “Naming a place is about history, not about religion. Even if there are no Muslims nearby today, it does not mean they were never here. Our presence is in the soil of this land.”
Opposition leaders and civil society groups have demanded that any name change be based on historical research and not on political opinion.
Rashid Khan, a spokesperson for a local rights group, said: “This kind of renaming without any research sets a very bad example. What stops the next MP from changing another name tomorrow based on some personal bias?”
He continued, “If there is no record that this station was named after the gangster Dawood Ibrahim, then the MP must apologise for misleading the public.”
The name Dawood Khan station, until recently, was simply another label on a map. Today, it has become a battlefield in India’s culture war. While the BJP claims it wants to honour “great men” like Maharana Pratap, many believe the real aim is to wipe out anything that reminds the public of India’s rich Muslim past.
Muslims in Aligarh and across Uttar Pradesh say they are tired of being viewed with suspicion and treated as outsiders in their own country.
A young man at the station summed up the feeling: “They want to take away our names, our stories, our history. What will be left then? Are we not part of India?”
