Punjab: After 7-year fight, Bathinda village reverts to old name, junks 'dera tag'

Residents of Prem Kotli village in Bathinda, India, are celebrating the restoration of their original name, Kotli Khurd. The name change, which was initially made to please the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda ahead of the 2017 assembly elections, had been a source of contention for the villagers. After a seven-year battle, an official notification was issued on October 12, and the villagers plan to hold thanksgiving prayers to mark the occasion. The name change was made without following the proper procedures, and the villagers have been fighting to revert to their old name.