Remove caste from names of roads and streets: Stalin to gram sabhas

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Saturday urged Gram Sabhas to pass resolutions to remove caste names from roads and streets and rechristen them with common names.

Emphasising the importance of Gram Sabhas in strengthening grassroot democracy, the Chief Minister asked them to pass resolutions to change the caste names of streets, roads and public places with common names. He was virtually addressing 12,480 Gram Sabhas from Chennai. This is the third time that he is addressing the Gram Sabhas.

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“Discuss among yourselves and pass three resolutions considered of utmost importance. Gram Sabhas ensure people’s participation in the administration. Utilise water like cash and reduce plastic use,” was his appeal to the participants.

A government order was passed recently by the Stalin dispensation for removing caste names from public places and suggested names of Sangam era poets, flowers and of leaders as suitable alternatives.

The Chief Minister has also written a letter to the Prime Minister to take steps to remove and modify names of public places.

This initiative is a continuation of the 1929 Self-Respect Conference which passed a resolution urging people to give up caste surnames. Dravidian icon ‘Peryar’ EV Ramasamy Ramasamy gave up his Naicker (Naidu) surname, besides so many others removing their surnames too.

However, the government push for erasing caste names has faced criticism with the naming the longest flyover in the state in Coimbatore after GD Naidu, an iconic entrepreneur and innovator.

Pushed to the backfoot, the Finance Minister clarified that there ought to be some exceptions to honour past leaders so that posterity is made aware of their services.

Meanwhile, the people of Ekanapuram village in Kancheepuram district where the proposed greenfield airport is coming up passed a resolution against the project. They have been holding a protest against it for 1100 days since the area is a fertile one with lakes and farmlands.