Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has courted controversy after he decided to rename an award scheme named after former President APJ Abdul Kalam and replace it with his father's name.

YS Jaganmohan Reddy is son of late Congress leader and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajsekhar Reddy.

Issuing a government order, the state education department on Monday said the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Vidya Puraskar will now be known as YSR Vidya Puraskars.

The award is given to Class 10 students for outstanding academic performance in their board examinations. The award consists of a merit certificate, a memento and scholarships to meet the cost of higher education.

The government order said the awards will be given on November 11, birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad celebrated as National Education Day.

Responding to the move, the Opposition has slammed the Jagan Reddy government saying it shows its "arrogance".

Former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said, "Dr Kalam accomplished much for the nation with his inspiring life. Jagan Reddy's government 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."

Dr. Kalam has accomplished much for the nation with his inspiring life. @ysjagan’s govt changing APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar to YSR Vidya Puraskar is a shocking method of self-aggrandizement at the cost of disrespecting a much venerated man. #YSRCPInsultsAbdulKalam pic.twitter.com/7lPaZddNZF N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) November 5, 2019

The award was announced by Chandrababu Naidu when he was chief minister.

The BJP too attacked the state government and said its decision reeks of arrogance and disrespect for Kalam.

BJP's national I-T cell head Amit Malviya in a tweet said, "It is not surprising that Jagan Reddy thinks his late father was a more accomplished scientist and academic than Bharat Ratna Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. After all he comes from a party, which named every award, scheme, stadium, road, airport etc, after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

It is not surprising that Jagan thinks his late father was a more accomplished scientist and academic than Bharat Ratna Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. After all he comes from a party, which named every award, scheme, stadium, road, airport etc, after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family... https://t.co/4AyjTsl894 Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 5, 2019

Jagan Reddy was formerly with the Congress but floated a new party after his father's death when differences between him and the party's top brass started escalating.

BJP leader Lanka Dinakar said, "This shows utmost arrogance in the decisions of Andhra Pradesh government by disrespecting the great scientist and former President of India by replacing his name with the name of former CM and father of the present CM."

CM withdraws order

However, as criticism mounted, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered to immediately cancel the government order that had renamed the awards.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has ordered to immediately cancel the concerned GO (Government Order). He further ordered to reinstate the name of 'Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar Awards'. https://t.co/JVGCx3eA2L ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2019

He further ordered to reinstate the name of 'Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar Awards', news agency ANI reported.

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