The Centre on Saturday renamed the Mughal Garden in New Delhi's Rashtrapati Bhavan to Amrit Udyog keeping in line with the government's theme of 'Amrit Mahotsav' marking India's 75 years of independence.
The Amrit Udyan will be inaugurated by the President on Sunday and it will remain open for public viewing from January 31 to March 26. The garden generally remains open for public viewing once a year, in February, when the flowers are in a full bloom.
However, this year, apart from the two-month window, the government has also planned to keep the garden open for viewing by special groups, such as farmers and differently-abled.
The garden constitutes the Rectangular, Long and Circular Gardens, the Herbal Garden, Musical Garden and the Spiritual Garden.
BJP hails decision
BJP leaders hailed the decision, saying it shredded yet another symbol of colonialism while the opposition parties advised the government to focus on creating jobs and controlling inflation instead.
The government had last year renamed Delhi's famed Rajpath as "Kartavya Path". The renaming of the stretch and other institutions is in line with the Centre's effort to remove any trace of the colonial mindset, the government has maintained.
While the Congress did not officially react to the name change, the Trinamool Congress and the Communist Party of India rubbished the move with the Left party terming it an "attempt to rewrite history".
Union ministers and BJP leaders hailed the decision as a move towards a "new India".
"Welcome and thank Hon'ble President Droupadi Murmu Ji for renaming the iconic gardens at the President House as 'Amrit Udyan.'
"This new name not only shreds yet another symbol of a colonial relic but also reflects India's aspirations for the Amrit Kaal," Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Twitter.
Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, in a tweet, said, "Our Hon'ble President of India, Droupadi Murmu Ji sets an example by renaming the iconic gardens at the President House as 'Amrit Udyan.'"
"A powerful symbol of our nation's progress and a reflection of a brighter future for New India," he said.
Supporting the move, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted, "Another historic decision of the Modi government in 'Amrit Kaal' to come out of the mindset of slavery. Mughal Gardens in Rashtrapati Bhavan will be named Amrit Udyan now."
Another BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, "When a historic decision on naming Mughal Gardens as Amrit Udyan has been taken in a series of steps to rid Bharat of symbols of 'gulami', colonial past -- true to its DNA, some leaders oppose it displaying they are prisoners of 'Mughlai/votebank mindset' (sic)."
Opposition reacts
However, the opposition said the government should focus on job creation and controlling inflation instead.
"Who knows, they might now want to rename the Eden Gardens and call it Modi Gardens! They should focus on creating jobs, controlling inflation and protecting the precious resources of LIC and SBI," TMC's Parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien told PTI.
CPI general secretary D Raja said this name change has been going on for quite some time and no one knows when it will end.
"The RSS' agenda is to rewrite Indian history and redefine nationhood. When we celebrate our Republic, it is for the people to stand up and safeguard our secular, democratic Indian Republic. India is not a theocracy, India is a democracy," he said.
(with PTI inputs)
