Seers express displeasure over AIMIM referring to Ayodhya by its old name 'Faizabad'

Ahead of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi's visit here, seers have raised objections to Ayodhya's former name, Faizabad, being used in the party's posters put up in the district and termed it an "anti-Hindutva" move.

They have warned that if Ayodhya is not mentioned in the posters, then Owaisi's public meeting in the district will not be allowed.

Owaisi will visit the mausoleum of 18th century Sufi Saint Sheikh Aalam Makhdoom Zada in Rudauli in Ayodhya district and hold a public meeting in the vicinity of the shrine on September 7.

"Ayodhya should not be called Faizabad The district's new name 'Ayodhya' is registered in government records," Mahant Raju Das of Hanuman Garhi temple told the media.

Mahant Paramhans Das of Tapasvi temple termed it an "anti-Hindutva" move of the All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

He said if the posters bearing the name Faizabad are not removed, then the party will not be allowed to hold a public meeting in the district.

The Uttar Pradesh government had renamed Faizabad division as Ayodhya in November 2018.

Reacting to the objections raised by the seers, the AIMIM's district president Shahnawaz Siddiqui said the district was earlier called Faizabad and people would take time to get used to the change.

"Both names are mentioned in the poster. It doesn't matter what name we write, this is not the subject to make an issue," Siddiqui said.