From Kalam to YSR and back: Andhra govt’s latest name change mired in controversy

andhra-pradesh

Updated: Nov 05, 2019 16:38 IST

The YS Jagan Mohan-led Andhra Pradesh government seems to have tied itself in knots over yet another renaming. A day after redesignating ‘Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar Awards’ as ‘YSR Vidya Puraskars’, the government hastily withdrew the order on Tuesday following criticism from various quarters.

A government order released on Monday announced that the awards were being renamed after former chief minister and Jagan Mohan’s father YS Rajashekar Reddy or YSR , who died in a plane crash in 2009.

“The government has ordered to re-designate the ‘Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar Awards’ as ‘YSR Vidya Puraskars’ from 2019 onwards for distribution on the occasion of birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as National Education Day on November 11, 2019,” read an order tweeted by news agency ANI.

But, on Tuesday the order was rescinded by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan who issued instructions for its immediate withdrawal, reports ANI.

The revoking of the order followed harsh criticism from Opposition parties. The Telugu Desam Party was quick to flay the move with its chief Chandrababu Naidu tweeting, “Dr Kalam has accomplished much for the nationwith his inspiring life. @ysjagan’s govt changing ‘APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar’ to ‘YSR Vidya Puraskar’ is a shocking method of self-aggrandisement at the cost of disrespecting a much venerated man.”

BJP national secretary Sunil Deodhar had criticised Jagan Reddy’s move and said that he has “insulted Bharat Ratna Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.”

Since coming to power, the Jagan Mohan government has changed names of several schemes. ‘NTR bharosa’ was renamed ‘YSR pension kanuka’, ‘Anna canteens’ were renamed ‘Rajanna canteens’ and midday meal scheme is now called ‘YSR akshaya patra’.