Renaming UPA schemes: Modi blocks move, says govt is not for populism

Following reports that the new government may want to change the existing names of schemes and projects that were christened after members of the Gandhi family, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he does not see any need for such a change in nomenclature. Indicating that he does not support cosmetic alterations to existing schemes, the PM advised against the move. According to a Times Now report, following a Cabinet meeting with his ministers, Modi advised them not to change nomenclature of existing schemes. “The government is elected for governance, not populism and charity,” Times Now quoted Modi as saying. A report in the DNA had said: “Urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu decided to scrap the National Urban Renewal Mission named after India’s first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru. Also, two senior Union ministers –  Naidu and civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju – said the demand to rename Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi Airport after former Andhra Pradesh CM NT Rama Rao is justified.” There are close to 441 schemes and places named after the various members of the Gandhi parivar, said the report. Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden in Kashmir and Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology in Kerala are just two among the several. [caption id=“attachment_1549835” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of PM Narendra Modi. PTI[/caption] Supporters of this move defended the idea, at least before Modi’s reported displeasure. Author A Surya Prakash, who has earlier fought against this naming trend, said in the DNA report: “I am not against the Nehru-Gandhis, but the government has the responsibility of honouring other heroes too. Clearly, the schemes and projects have been named after three members of this family disproportionately.” Modi’s directive to his ministers will most likely put an end to any re-naming. The recent directive passed by the PM will prove to be a deterrent to any minister who earlier planned to change the Nehru-Gandhi names and honour other, non-Gandhi leaders.