‘Will Not Allow Pune To Be Renamed’: Tehseen Poonawalla Opposes ‘Phule Nagar’ Demand

Pune: Amid the demand to rename Pune as ‘Phule Nagar’ in honour of social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Tehseen Poonawalla has strongly opposed the proposal, saying the city should not be renamed and that its historical identity must be preserved.

Taking to social media, Poonawalla said, “We will NOT allow our Pune to be renamed after Jyotirao Phule ji.” He argued that Pune derives its name from the over 1,000-year-old Punyeshwar Mahadev Temple, which stood on the banks of the Mutha River.

Highlighting the city's historical and cultural significance, he said Pune has evolved into a global centre for information technology, automobiles, education and healthcare while retaining its cultural identity. He also described Pune as Maharashtra's cultural capital.

Poonawalla further said that the city has built its identity over more than 1,000 years and has attracted people from across India and the world, who have made it their home. He argued that renaming Pune would erase an identity tied to its history, investments, opportunities, and cultural heritage.

While expressing respect for Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and his contributions, Poonawalla maintained that this should not translate into changing the city's name.

“We have immense respect for Jyotirao Phule ji, but we will NOT allow any renaming!” he said in his post.

The reaction comes after the National OBC Mukti Morcha demanded that Pune be renamed ‘Phule Nagar’ ahead of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule's 200th birth anniversary in 2027. A delegation of the organisation recently met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur and submitted a memorandum seeking a state government resolution supporting the proposed name change.

Apart from the renaming demand, the organisation has also sought the posthumous Bharat Ratna for Mahatma Phule and a special one-day session of the state legislature to discuss his contributions.

The proposal has brought the debate over Pune's historical identity and its possible renaming back into focus.