The Maharashtra government on Wednesday cleared a proposal to rename residential areas in the state having caste-based names, PTI reported. The decision was made at a state Cabinet meeting.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s office said in a statement that the government chose to rename the localities to maintain social harmony and national unity.
The CMO added that names such as “Mahar-wada, Bouddh-wada, Mang-wada, Dhor-vasti, Brahman-wada and Mali-galli”, which pointed to the community that resided in a certain area, were not suited to a progressive state like Maharashtra. The names refer to Dalits, Dalit Buddhists, the community that handles dead animals, and gardeners, among others, the New Indian Express reported.
The government said that the localities will now get names like Samata Nagar, Bhim Nagar, Jyotinagar, Shahunagar and Kranti Nagar.
Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Dhananjay Munde said the move will bring about a change in the mindset of people. “We want to abolish the caste system gradually,” he was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express. “Everyone has an equal right to live with dignity. No one should be discriminated on the basis of caste and religion.”
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