"What's In The Name"

62 years after Independence we are still fixated to one parivar, the Gandhi parivar. India's obsession to this family has grown in recent year under the rule of the congress at the center and most states throughout India. The Gandhi parivar after independence has given many famous personalities from Jawaharlal Nehru to Sonia Gandhi. Admissibly these personalities have shaped India's future and are considered iconic figures of the Indian political system. But does this give their political party and family the right to consider themselves as the first family of India or to be even more caustic, the monarch of India's politics?

The obsession to name renowned institutions, roads, airports and structural landmarks on famous personalities has been abused by many political parties. Statues have been erected and roads have been renamed by every new government to symbolize their significance and dominance. A situation has come where such acts of dedications are no more a privilege but a symbol of pride.

Recently in Mumbai, the Bandra-Whorli seal link was inaugurated after being conceptualized in 1962 and tendered in 2000. Under the congress government in the state, the bridge was named .. guess what ? .... Rajiv Gandhi Sethu !! One more dedication to the late Rajiv Gandhi. Just a year back the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh had named the new international airport ... again .... Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. After some research , I found out that there are two airports under that same name. Added to this there are technical institutions, universities, a cancer research center under his name. Such similar examples can be found under the name of Jawahlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi .

We cannot blame only one political party for abusing such a tribute. Recently, the queen of dalith has erected 7 statues of herself including a new 18 ft statue around 100ft pillars. The Marata-Hindu party in Maharashtra have also misused the name game for their benefits by changing development program names which reflect their contributions. Overnight change in roads names to their icons, the mighty Marata ruler Shivaji and the renowned freedom fighter Veer Savarkar shows examples of the importance given to name games to express ones prevalence and significance in the eyes of the citizens.

Today this very caucus cries foul for naming the Bandra-Whorli sea link after the late prime minister. What is their alternative ?.... Veer Savarkar sethu !! Can we ever look at the big picture ? Why cannot we just name it Bandra-Whorli Sea Link, Sea Necklace or Mumbai Bridge (suggested by a friend). We dont see famous monuments like the Golden Gate Bridge or the London Bridge named Clinton bridge or Princess Diana Bridge! If a dedications has to be made for this bridge in Mumbai, why not in the name of someone who relates and is acceptable to the nation.. why not to the mortars of Mumbai terror attack ? Why not the iconic Sachin Tendulkar who himself hails from Mumbai ? Why do we have to politicise everything ?

This structural monument is a dedication to the technological advancement of India in infrastructure development and politicizing such a monument will lose the essence of its purpose and importance. As Shakespeare had once said : " what's in a name?- Where Juliet tell Romeo that a name is an artificial and meaningless convention" This one line encapsulates the struggle and tragedy of the famous play which reflects the similar struggle to overcome India's fixation and political prejudice towards names.