Ahmednagar will be renamed after Ahilyabai Holkar: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

NASHIK: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said Ahmednagar would be renamed after warrior queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
Shinde made the announcement at an event to mark the 297th birth anniversary of Holkar at her birth place, Chondi village in Ahmednagar district. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present at the occasion.
"We feel fortunate that the decision of renaming the district (after Ahilyabai Holkar) was taken during our government. Ahilyadevi's contribution to India's history is as grand as the Himalayas. Once the district will be named after her, its stature will be raised to the level of the Himalayas," Shinde said.
Shinde’s announcement came following an appeal by Fadnavis. “While following the path of Hindutva, it is our government that gave names like Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (to Aurangabad) and Dharashiv (to Osmanabad). There is a long pending demand that Ahmednagar be named as Ahilyanagar.
I am quite sure that the chief minister will fulfil this demand,” the deputy CM said. Ahilyabai Holkar, the legendary 18th century ruler of the Indore state, was born in Chaundi village, about 90km from Ahmednagar city, in 1725. After the death of her husband, Khanderao Holkar, and fatherin-law, Malharrao Holkar, Ahilyabai undertook the affairs of the Holkar dynasty.
A few days ago, a controversy had erupted at the national capital when Ahilyabai Holkar and Savitribai Phule’s busts were shifted while organising an event to mark the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Veer Savarkar at Maharashtra Sadan.
Opposition parties had slammed the government, alleging that the chief minister and the deputy chief minister remained mute spectators when the iconic figures from the state “were being insulted”. In response, the CM ordered an inquiry into the incident.