Politics
Centre Renames Port Blair to Sri Vijaya Puram: Andaman & Nicobar Capital Gets New Name
Centre Renames Port Blair to Sri Vijaya Puram: Andaman & Nicobar Capital Gets New Name
The capital of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands-Port Blair-will, henceforth, be called “Sri Vijaya Puram.”, announced Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday.
“It is part of our larger plan to remove colonial imprints from this country and give a due reverence to the rich heritage of India,” he described.
“Inspired by the vision of Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji to rid the nation of its colonial legacy, we have decided to rename Port Blair as ‘Sri Vijaya Puram’,” Shah posted on X.
He further underlined that while the previous name was tinged with a colonial past, Sri Vijaya Puram represents the triumph of the nation in its freedom struggle.
Shah spoke of the island’s historic significance: “Andaman & Nicobar Islands hold a unique place in our freedom struggle and history.
Once serving as the naval base for the mighty Chola Empire, today these islands are key to India’s strategic and developmental goals.
He also referred to the region’s role in the freedom movement of India: “This is the land where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Ji first unfurled our Tiranga and where Veer Savarkar Ji, along with other freedom fighters, faced immense hardships in the cellular jail for the cause of an independent nation.
The name was greeted with support from across the board by BJP leaders, right from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi welcomed the decision on X, saying, “The name Sri Vijaya Puram reflects the rich history and valour of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It symbolises our commitment to shunning colonial mindsets and celebrating our own heritage.”
Union Health Minister JP Nadda too strikes a similar note when he says, “The previous name smacked of colonial regime, while ‘Sri Vijaya Puram’ will remind one of the sacrifices of our freedom fighters who razed the structure of colonial oppression.”.
While congratulating the move as a major step towards reconnecting with the country’s cultural heritage under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the renaming as a “historic day”.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant congratulated the decision, terming it “a powerful tribute to the spirit of our freedom fighters and a step towards shedding the colonial legacy of our nation.”
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Saying that Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “The renaming to Sri Vijaya Puram underlines the rich traditions and historicity of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The effort for erasing the symbols of slavery is indeed praiseworthy.”
