Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that Fazil Nagar in Kushinagar district will be renamed Pawagarh in honor of Jain Tirthankar Lord Mahavir.

The Kushinagar district administration had earlier sent a proposal for the renaming to the Chief Minister’s Office. The proposed name, Pawagarh, is derived from Pawapuri in Bihar, a revered Jain pilgrimage site closely associated with Lord Mahavir.

अब फाजिलनगर को पावागढ़ के रूप में एक नई मान्यता देने जा रहे हैं… pic.twitter.com/1s0wEagEWi

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) June 2, 2026

Addressing a government event in Fazil Nagar, Adityanath said, “We have approved the proposal to rename Fazil Nagar. It will no longer be known as Fazil Nagar; instead, it will gain a new identity as Pawagarh. The town will be named after Lord Mahavir. Why should we continue to call it Fazil?”

“By connecting with the rich traditions and cultural heritage of Pawagarh, people from across the country and around the world will be drawn to this sacred place,” he added.

The Chief Minister has been touring Assembly constituencies across the state as part of preparations ahead of the next Assembly elections.

At the same event, he said his government had dealt firmly with miscreants in the state, asserting that those who did not mend their ways through ‘boli’ (words) were compelled to do so through the ‘goli’ (bullets).

He also contrasted the state’s past image with what he described as its present transformation under the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in UP. “The earlier governments had made Uttar Pradesh known for ‘katta’ (country-made pistols) and bombs. Today, the same Uttar Pradesh is manufacturing BrahMos missiles for the country’s security,” the chief minister said.

Referring to criminals and anti-social elements, he said, “We have set these ‘shohde’ (miscreants) right. Those who did not improve, those who did not listen to words, ultimately listened to bullets.”

The chief minister alleged that the previous governments had failed to ensure public safety and had allowed criminal activities to flourish, adversely affecting traders, farmers and women. Without naming any political party, he referred to the previous government (before 2017) as “jungle party”.

The chief minister said Kushinagar is no longer a symbol of backwardness. It is emerging as a symbol of a new UP moving ahead at bullet speed. He said Kushinagar, associated with Lord Ram’s son Kush, Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavira, has undergone significant transformation over the past decade.

(With PTI inputs)