To celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence, the Jammu & Kashmir government has decided to rename 75 schools and 75 roads after unsung heroes and martyrs from the police, army and CRPF.
Contributing editor at CNN News18, Aditya Raj Kaul posted the order on his Twitter timeline that is part of this initiative. In a written letter dated July 29, the Deputy Commissioners of 10 districts have been asked to identify government schools in villages and municipality wards to rename.
https://twitter.com/AdityaRajKaul/status/1423573905478848512?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThe letter further suggests that a committee may be constituted at district levels to prepare the details. As per the order, the list was to be forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on or before August 05.
150 roads and schools to be renamed
As per reports, J&K Chief Secretary (CS) Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta announced that the government is in the process of renaming as many as 75 schools and roads each.
This was revealed at a high-level meeting chaired by the Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to review the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence.
While apprising the meeting on the initiatives planned by the government of Jammu & Kashmir, Mehta said as a mark of respect, 75 roads and 75 schools will be renamed after the local unsung heroes in J&K.
As part of this initiative, the Union Territory has also submitted a regional ‘Rajya Geet’ in Kashmiri and Dogri languages personifying J&K’s contributions and aspirations.
Renaming stadiums and roads
The BJP in 2019 had renamed stadiums and roads in Kashmir ruffling some feathers. J&K’s Chenani-Nashri Tunnel was renamed after Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium.
While some alleged saffronisation of Kashmir by the BJP, the party defended the move by saying, “Kashmir is not anybody’s Sultanate and everything doesn’t belong to Abdullahs and Muftis here.”
Additionally, in 2020 Srinagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu, had proposed renaming city chowks after prominent personalities, who were killed during the 30-year-long terrorism. Proposals to change the name of Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden to Kashmir Tulip Garden were also made.