Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday renamed dragon fruit as ‘Kamalam’, which in Sanskrit means lotus.
This comes after several demands in the past by the fruit growers as well as the forest department to change the name of the fruit. Incidentally, Gujarat BJP’s headquarters is also named ‘Kamalam’.
Addressing a press conference, Rupani told reporters in Gandhinagar, “The name dragon fruit doesn’t sound dignified and people associate it with China. That’s why the government has decided to change its name to 'Kamalam', since the fruit resembles lotus flowers. The government has also applied for renaming it.”
Rupani brushed aside the name's comparison with his party's symbol. The chief minister said this while announcing his government's scheme to promote horticulture in the state by allotting infertile government lands on lease to farmers, organisations and private persons on nominal charges.
Over the past several years, a large number of farmers in Gujarat, including the Kutch district, have started cultivating dragon fruit. Last year, a group of farmers had requested the government to change the name to 'Kamalam'.
During the conference, Rupani announced the "Horticulture Development Mission" with the aim of "doubling" farmers' income by creating scope in farming medicinal plants and horticulture in the state. Under the scheme, 50,000 hectares of infertile government land will be allotted on lease for 30 years on minimal charges. The Congress has termed this as an attempt that will benefit only "industrialists".