Changing name as it reminds of earlier Chief Minister

Changing names of the buildings, towns, and even institutes has been common ever since BJP led governments took over in Centre and states in India. However, when Haryana changed the  name of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) as Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), the reason cited was more than weird.

On one hand, the love for Hindi was exhibited by social justice and empowerment minister Krishan Kumar Bedi when she told media  that the state government found it apt to have HUDA renamed in Hindi, the way it named Gurgaon as Gurugram and Ballabhgarh as Balramgarh. It also christened Haryana’s golden jubilee year (2016-17) Swarn Jayanti Varsh. However, Haryana health minister Anil Vij spilled the beans by stating that the true reason.  He said HUDA was often misunderstood as it rhymed with the name of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda is facing CBI investigation in an industrial plot allotment case, the Associate Journal Limited case and the Manesar land case. “The premises of Hooda and his associates are often raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation. But if one says that a Hooda premises was raided, people mistake it for a raid on HUDA,” Vij said, explaining the BJP’s logic behind the name change.

The renaming of the urban development authority is being seen as a deliberate bid to push the BJP government’s Hindutva agenda, Congress responded in its usual manner.