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HT This Day: December 26, 1949 -- C.R. names Delhi township Lajpat Nagar
The Governor-General, His Excellency Mr C. Rajagopalachari, yesterday named a new refugee township near Delhi as Lajpat Nagar. He also laid the foundation-stone of Kasturha Nirashrit Niketan, a colony for destitute women and children now lodged in five women’s homes in different parts of the city.
The Governor-General, His Excellency Mr C. Rajagopalachari, yesterday named a new refugee township near Delhi as Lajpat Nagar. He also laid the foundation-stone of Kasturha Nirashrit Niketan, a colony for destitute women and children now lodged in five women’s homes in different parts of the city.
Located behind Jungpura, Lajpat Nagar and the colony for destitute women will be spread over an area of 800 acres and will eventually accommodate 40,000 displaced persons.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor-General said that if they looked round in a detached manner they would realize the great “burden” that the people at the helm of affairs of the country had to bear. All that had been done could not have been accomplished but for “their great tenacity of purpose, honesty and integrity.”
The Governor-General said: “It is a great privilege that you have given me to perform something which will commemorate the memory of our departed leader and nation-builder, Lajpat Rai. That I should have some function in doing honour to the memory of one who worked so long and so strenuously for the freedom of our country and did not live to see the fruition of his labours fills me with satisfaction.
“We are building houses and are trying to rehabilitate people who have been displaced and are full of anxiety and grief. Our efforts are not commensurate with the suffering which we wish to relieve. I must congratulate my honourable colleague, the Rehabilitation Minister, and his officers for all that they are trying to do in the face of difficulties of all kinds.”
ADMINISTRATION TODAY
His Excellency added: “In the old days there were different bodies to deal with different matters. Today the administration is conducted, social service done, military affairs managed, capital furnished and building operations supervised, all by the Government. Those whom you call the Government have to do everything now and the people expect them to do all these things quickly and well also.
“I shall not say more about this, but when errors, difficulties and delays present themselves to you for observation and criticism, I want you to pay a thought to the other side of the matter and to see how much weight and responsibility are borne by a few people. So far as I am concerned I have no hesitation to congratulate the leaders and the Rehabilitation Ministry on the manner in which they are tackling problems of which they had never dreamt a few years ago or were prepared for.”
Mr Rajagopalachari continued: “I am glad that a worthy name has been selected for this now town. Some time ago I performed a similar function near Bombay and the Bombay Government gave a descriptive, hopeful name to that now town. But the people who had to live there divided themselves into two groups, some supporting the name proposed and others claiming that it should be called Sindhu Nagar. I do not desire to perform another function to lay the foundation-stone for a controversy (Laughter). I wish to lay a foundation stone for a happy, nice, peaceful town, and not for a name-controversy.
KASTURBA NIKETAN
“As for Kasturba Niketan, it will be in charge of three sumangalies, Mrs Rameshwari Nehru, Mrs Hannah Sen and Mrs Matthai. Sumangalies are omens of peace, joy and prosperity. And may this home he a place of joy and prosperity for the poor and destitute for whom it is being built. I am much honoured in being asked to lay the foundation stone for the Niketan and fix a name slab for the town. I hope that all of you will bless this adventure with your good wishes.”
Addressing the labourers and craftsmen who had assembled in large numbers at Lajpat Nagar, His Excellency said: “It gives me very great pleasure to see you gathered here to bless this function. You have built many houses for ordinary people. Today you have built for Lajpat Rai. It is something which you should remember.
“It is not enough that we build houses. What is wanted is an occupation for all people and a living by which they can look after their families. All of us who are in distress want to hang on to Delhi and somehow make our living. Unless somebody digs and 010ughs and raises some food we cannot live. I hope as a result of the building of this new town, the peasants in the neighbouring area will raise more food and earn more.”
Earlier, the Rehabilitation Minister, Mr Mohanlal Saksena, gave a brief account of the progress made in building various townships in and around Delhi.
