Sarma pushes for name change of cities, to invite suggestions on portal
GUWAHATI : Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the state government will launch a portal inviting suggestions for change of names of cities, towns and villages that are “contrary to our civilisation, culture and derogatory to any caste or community”.
A day ago, Sarma attended an event for a second medical college in Guwahati where he said some places were named out of malice in some communities.
According to a report in the Economic Times, Sarma said Guwahati’s Kalapahar that was named after a Muslim general of the Bengal Sultanate who had attacked the Kamakhya temple, will definitely be changed.
“I have urged the local MLA to consult with the residents and suggest a name,” he was quoted as saying in the report.
“Name of a city, town or village should represent its culture, tradition & civilisation.
“We shall launch a portal to invite suggestions on change of names across Assam which are contrary to our civilisation, culture & derogatory to any caste or community,” he said in a tweet.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Assam chief minister while speaking at the Bhoomipujan of the second medical college in Guwahati had said that certain places including Kalaphar and other towns and villages across Assam will be renamed.
“There are several names of places in Assam which people do not feel comfortable uttering and are seen derogatory to some communities. Therefore, these need to be changed,” he said.
Sarma gave an example of Kalapahar, and said, “Kalapahar had destroyed the Kamakhya Temple. I don’t see a reason why any town should be named Kalaphar. This name must be removed after due consultation with people.”
In September last year, Assam Cabinet renamed the Rajiv Gandhi National Park as Orang National Park. This was done after Sarma met the tea tribe community who had requested for the change of the name. Later, the CM clarified that there was no tradition of naming National Parks after political leaders in Assam, but Congress broke the tradition in the early 2000s.