Kaithal The villagers of Chuhar Majra protested against changing the village name.

Kaithal: Residents of Chuhar Majra village have opposed the state government’s proposal to rename their village to Brahmanand Majra, stating that the move has hurt their sentiments and could lead to administrative difficulties. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini had announced the renaming of the village to Brahmanand Majra on December 23 while presiding over a state-level function to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Brahmanand, as the village is believed to be the birthplace of the saint. However, the announcement did not go down well with the villagers. On Thursday, the residents convened a village panchayat meeting where they unanimously opposed the renaming and formed a 20-member committee to pursue the matter further. The committee has decided to meet the Chief Minister and the Deputy Commissioner to convey their objections. The villagers say that the existing name holds deep historical and religious significance. They said the village is already named after Saint Chuhar Maharaj, who, according to locals, lived approximately 600 years ago.

During the meeting, a member spoke to the Sarpanch’s husband over the phone and informed him of the panchayat’s decision. He, however, assured the villagers that he would stand with them and lead a delegation to meet the Chief Minister and other officials. Haripal, a resident, said that the decision was taken without consulting the villagers. “The demand for renaming was raised under pressure from a few people. Our village is already named after Saint Chuhar Maharaj, and our sentiments are attached to this name. We request the government not to change its name,” he said.

He further explained that the change could create several administrative problems. “A large number of youth from our village are settled abroad, and their permanent residency files are under process. Changing the village name will force them to change details in their Aadhaar cards, passports, and other government documents, which could delay their cases,” he said. The residents also expressed concerns about potential complications in revenue records and other government documents, saying that the move could have long-term consequences. “All the residents were not consulted before the announcement was made. It was a hasty decision,” said Babu Ram, another resident. Expressing similar sentiments, Pala Ram said that the village’s name is a matter of faith and belief. “Changing the village’s name involves several technical issues. We demand that the government withdraw this decision,” he said. Despite repeated attempts, Sarpanch Kavita could not be reached for comment. BDPO Dhand Jagjit Singh said that he learned about the matter from the media. “So far, I have not received any formal demand or representation from the villagers,” he said.