RAIPUR: The BJP in Chhattisgarh strongly reacted to the ruling Congress government’s move to amend the name of the new capital city ‘Atal Nagar’, calling it a “politically motivated decision that belittles the contribution of late PM-Atal Bihari Vajpayee” who created the new state.
The saffron party further alleged that the new government has put a brake on all development initiatives launched by the previous regime.
In August last year, the earlier BJP government named ‘Naya Raipur’ as ‘Atal Nagar’ in honour of Vajpayee. Now the Congress government is going to be rename it as ‘Nava Raipur Atal Nagar’.
“If you see the previous 6-month performance of Bhupesh Baghel government, they are more into changing names, halting development works initiated by BJP across the state. They haven’t so far done anything on liquor ban or the doling out of the unemployment bonus to 23 lakh youth", said former chief minister Raman Singh.
“It’s sad and unfortunate. Congress fails to realise Chhattisgarh was created by late Shri Vajpayee in 2000 and they are now showing disregard to his contribution by overshadowing his name”, the leader of opposition Dharamlal Kaushik said.
The BJP after having suffered huge poll debacle in the Assembly polls 2018 bounced back winning 9 out of the 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh. “Now the Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh are Nau-Do-Gyara (Hindi idiom meaning run away from the scene)", Singh said.
“We are not changing the name. If there is some addition in the existing one using Chhattisgarhi dialect, why is the BJP is feeling upset? When there can be Navi Mumbai, why can't we have Nava Raipur”, asked the chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, who has also instructed officials to gain an understanding of Chhattisgarhi dialect.
The proposed move on amending the name will be taken up in the next state cabinet meet. “We have not rejected Atal Nagar but only adding Nava Raipur (New Raipur) to it. It will be taken up in the cabinet meet. The objection by the BJP is misleading”, said environment and housing minister Mohammed Akbar.