With Jammu and Kashmir formally becoming union territory (UT) from October 31, the Central government contemplates changing the names of significant buildings, hospitals, airports and cricket stadiums in the erstwhile state.
There are several important places that have been named after regional National Conference (NC) founder late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah who was known as ìSher-e-Kashmirî- (Lion of Kashmir). ìAll these places or institutions will be re-named after Sardar Valabhai Patel and some other BJP founders. Discussion in this regard is on and the final call is expected by November 15,î a senior official told DH.
The places or institutions which are likely to get new names to include, Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Sher-e-Kashmir Park, Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium and Sher-e-Kashmir Indoor Stadium.
The 11.5 kms Chenani-Nashri tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which was inaugurated in 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has already been named as ìShamya Prasad Mukherjee tunnel.î
A senior BJP leader disclosed that renaming places and institutions with Sardar Valabhai Patel was a long demand of partyís Kashmir unit. ìSome parties in Kashmir were of the belief that these places were their personal properties as they were in the name of their ancestors,î he said and added to end the dynasty rule in Kashmir it was important to change the names of important institutions named after the ancestors of dynastic parties.