MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal to rename all the residential settlements and localities based on caste names.
CM Uddhav Thackeray said it didn’t befit a progressive state like Maharashtra to refer to localities based on caste names and hence the decision was taken. “It will help create social harmony and increase national unity among all caste and creed.”
Social justice minister Dhananjay Munde, who brought the proposal to drop caste indicators from the names of the colonies, said this small but revolutionary step would change the outlook of the people. He said party president Sharad Pawar had expressed displeasure over the use of caste names.
In Maharashtra, colonies are often named after castes of majority residents such as Maharwada (Dalit), Boudhwada (Dalit), Mangwada (lower strata of Dalit community), Dhorvasti (Dalit community that carries carcasses outside the village), Brahmanwada (Brahmins), and Mali Galli (gardener).
These caste-based colonies will now be given names like Samata Nagar, Bhim Nagar, Jyoti Nagar, Shahu Nagar, Kranti Nagar etc. As per a presidential order, instead of the word ‘Dalit’, ‘Scheduled Caste & Nav Bouddha’ in Marathi and ‘Scheduled Caste and Neo Buddhism’ in English should be used.