Residents unite, rename Gond Mohalla after Birsa Munda

Nagpur: As the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) missed the deadline to rename several localities having caste-based names, residents of Gond Mohalla in West Nagpur assembly constituency themselves declared to have renamed the locality after tribal freedom-fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
At a function on the Independence Day, the residents, led by NGO Janhit, unanimously announced the new name. Abhijit Jha, founder of the organization, said Janhit carried out a detailed interaction with the citizens of the area. He persuaded the people about the government’s order and the need to change the name based on a specific castes. In the end, it was unanimously decided to name the settlement after Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
After the state government’s decision to retitle residential areas having caste-based names, the divisional commissioner’s office had set a deadline of August 15 for the purpose. However, the civic body renamed only four localities, mostly in central Nagpur, — Telangipura as Santajipura, Telipura as Snehdip Nagar, Marathipura as Sahu Nagar and Bhoipura as Maharishi Nathudham.
Deputy engineer (slum department) Avinash Barahate admitted the delay and blamed zonal offices for this. So far, the NMC headquarters has received caste-based names of areas from only two zones — Dhantoli and Gandhibagh. These two zones comprise around 43 localities named after castes, he said.
The NMC is yet to receive names of such localities to be renamed from the remaining 8 zones.
“The civic body is always in favour of renaming localities having caste-based names,” said deputy mayor Manisha Dhawde, who is also chairperson of the NMC’s renaming committee. Before the government order, the NMC had already renamed Chambar Nullah with North Canal, she said.
The deputy mayor said there are many residential localities in the city which have names referring to castes or communities. The move will bring about a change in the mindset of people and it is a part to abolish the caste system gradually. According to her, everyone has an equal right to live with dignity. No one should be discriminated over one’s caste and religious affiliations, she pointed out.
She also said that all 10 zonal offices have already started a survey to identify localities or areas having caste-based names. Once the survey is over, the civic body without any further delay will rename the areas by taking residents into confidence, said Dhawde.