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Karnataka residents petition govt for renaming Rajiv Gandhi National Park
The petition has garnered over 8,000 signatures on Change.org in a very short span of time. The campaigners said, “All deserving citizens should be recognised, not just a few dynastic people.”
Two residents of Karnataka’s Kodagu district have launched an online petition seeking a change in the name of Rajiv Gandhi National Park in Nagarahole. Petitioners Naveen Madappa and Vinay Kaypanda have tagged the chief minister of Karnataka, Prime Minister’s Office, Union forest minister and Musuru MP Pratap Simha in their plea and suggested that the national park be renamed after Field Marshal KM Cariappa. The petition said the move would be a befitting honour to the legendary field marshal who belonged to the district.
Coming days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Twitter the renaming of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award after hockey great Major Dhyan Chand, the petition has already garnered over 8,000 signatures on online platform Change.org in a very short span of time.
Formerly known as Nagarahole national reserve forest, the named was changed to Rajiv Gandhi National Park Nagarahole "just to appease a particular family and its party", the campaigners said, adding, “All deserving citizens should be recognised, not just a few dynastic people.”
Regarding the renaming of Khel Ratna Award, Modi wrote on Twitter, “I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views. Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Jai Hind!”
The latest petition also comes close on the wheels of Karnataka BJP MLA CT Ravi requesting chief minister Basavaraj Bommai to rename Indira Canteens across the state as "Annapoorneshwari Canteen".
“Don't see any reason why Kannadigas should be reminded of the dark days of Emergency while they are having food,” he further wrote.
Renaming of public spaces and stadiums across the country has turned into a heated controversy with the ruling and BJP and Opposition hitting out at each other over the latest moves.
