So I visited Mumbai a few days back and all over the place I could see only two names, Veer Mata Jeejabai and Chhatrapati Shivaji.
We Indians have hardly created anything new that is beneficial to the public. For everything good that the Britishers gave us, we try to make it our own by naming it after a local politician or after Gandhi. So Connought Place gets renamed as Rajiv Chowk, Victoria Terminus changes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus , King George Medical College changes to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical College and so on. Doesn't it show our impotence that we don't have the capability of doing something new? What purpose are we achieving after renaming these public places. Not only that, for everything new that is done, our governments seem to be at a serious disadvantage with respect to names. I want to know what is the contribution of Rajiv Gandhi and how is he greater when compared to the likes of Lal Bahadur Shastri or Sardar Patel. Aren't we insulting the heroes of our history by not giving them their dues? Why is every new scheme named after Gandhi and not after a Bhagat Singh or a Sarojini Naidu ?
Mumbai goes a step ahead. For them Maratha pride begins and ends with the family of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Mumbai owes a lot to the Parsi community who have made a significant contribution in making it the financial capital of the country. Or say, the Muslims who have made so much contribution to the art and culture esp. the Bollywood. But since it is ruled practically by maratha goons, every important place will be named after the only significant maratha leader the state of Maharashtra has produced.
Aren't we depriving the new generation of Indian history by ignoring so many important people. In Lucknow a medical institute is named after Sanjay Gandhi... SANJAY GANDHI!!!! I wonder who is more shameless, the politicians who dare to name it, or we who accept it without any protest.
The Britishers came to this country and have given us a legacy of their own. It makes sense when we are doing something to reverse the harmful effects of British Rule in our country, but why tamper with something good that they have given us.
We have countless Bharat Ratna awardess, soldiers who won Param Vir Chakra, actors who gave everything for their art, writers who brought about revolution through pen and thanks to License Raj, a few but highly effective industrialists who made significant contributions to the Indian society. But we'll name an obscure lane/crossing after them and forget their contribution. We'll erase the good work done by foreigners and do whatever it takes to achieve petty political gains.
Can we show a little more respect to our own history?
We have countless Bharat Ratna awardess, soldiers who won Param Vir Chakra, actors who gave everything for their art, writers who brought about revolution through pen and thanks to License Raj, a few but highly effective industrialists who made significant contributions to the Indian society. But we'll name an obscure lane/crossing after them and forget their contribution. We'll erase the good work done by foreigners and do whatever it takes to achieve petty political gains.
Can we show a little more respect to our own history?
haha... good one :)
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