Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that Fazil Nagar town in Kushinagar district will be renamed Pawagarh in honour of Jain Tirthankar Lord Mahavir.Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. (HT file)He also 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).Addressing a gathering in Kushinagar, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 272 development projects worth more than ₹400 crore, he 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 CM said.Yogi reiterated his government’s commitment to preserving the state’s cultural and historical heritage. Highlighting the significance of the town, he said the renaming aims to reconnect historically significant places with their original heritage and cultural identity. “Fazil Nagar, where Bhagwan Mahavir attained Mahaparinirvana, will now be known as Pawagarh,” Yogi said, adding that the name has long been used by Jain devotees and scholars.The CM said the renaming would strengthen the region’s religious and cultural significance while boosting its profile as a major centre of spiritual tourism. The state government, Yogi said, plans to expand tourism infrastructure, preserve heritage sites, and promote the area internationally as a destination linked to the life of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar.The demand for restoring the historic name has been raised for years by Jain organisations, local residents, public representatives, and scholars. According to Jain scholars, Fazil Nagar is widely identified as the ancient Pava, where Lord Mahavir attained Nirvana.Adityanath said the organised crime networks, which once operated with impunity, have been dismantled and that law and order in Uttar Pradesh has improved significantly under his government.The CM said decisive action against organised crime has created a secure environment for businesses and investors, helping Uttar Pradesh emerge as one of India’s fastest-growing economies.He said the state has moved away from an era associated with crime, mafias, and illegal weapons manufacturing to one driven by investment, infrastructure development and defence production.“The mafias that hindered development and created unemployment have been eliminated. Mosquitoes that spread diseases have also been controlled. We have replaced jungle raj with improved law and order and good governance,” Yogi added.