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Journalism of Courage
Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah asked the BJP government not to get into “petty politics” with its attempt to change the name of Indira Canteens, named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
On Saturday, BJP general secretary C T Ravi asked Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to rechristen Indira Canteens, a flagship programme launched by the previous Congress government to provide ready-to-eat food to economically disadvantaged people in the state, as Annapoorneshwari Canteens.
Ravi had tweeted: “Request Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to rename Indira Canteens across Karnataka as ‘Annapoorneshwari Canteen’ at the earliest. Don’t see any reason why Kannadigas should be reminded of the dark days of Emergency while they are having food.”
Questioning the move, Siddaramaiah took to Twitter Saturday, “It has been tradition to name roads & govt buildings after National leaders,” adding “Will @BJP4India govt rename the stadium which is named after @narendramodi? Flyover named after Deendayal Upadhyay & City Bus corporation named after Vajpayee? Will BJP rename these?”
Siddaramaiah, who was the chief minister when the Indira Canteens scheme was launched in the state, went on to explain the reason behind naming the canteens after the former Prime Minister. “Smt Indira Gandhi initiated reforms to eliminate poverty & implemented Land reforms act. To honour her for the contribution, the canteen was named after her. What is wrong in remembering her contribution?” he tweeted.
He also questioned the Centre’s move to rename the Khel Ratna Award saying there is no doubt that Major Dhyan Chand was a great hockey player, but another award could have been instituted in his name instead of removing the reference to Rajiv Gandhi.
Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao also slammed Ravi. “It is not Indira Canteen but your evil mindset that needs a change,” he wrote on the microblogging platform.
“C T Ravi, who is like an ambassador of hatred, has pressured the CM to change the name of Indira Canteen. If the hunger of poor people is quenched just by changing the name, I do not have any objection. The BJP government has held back the grant to Indira Canteen. What needs change is C T Ravi’s evil mindset and not the name of Indira Canteen,” Rao added.
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