Race Course road to Rajpath: PM Modi's fight to erase colonial past continues

New Delhi, Sep 06: The decision to rename Rajpath and the Central Vista grounds as "Kartavya Path" gave the Narendra Modi government another push in its effort to erase the nation of its colonial past.

The road was named Kingsway by the British in honour of then Emperor of India, George V.

The move comes in the wake of PM Modi's recent Independence Day speech, in which he emphasised the removal of artifacts that reflect a colonial mindset.

During his Independence day speech, PM Modi spoke at length about India's colonial past, and how the existing colonial mindset was a "hurdle cropping up" in the development journey of developing nations.

This is not the first time though when a conscious effort is being done by PM Modi to shed the baggage of the colonial past.

Numerous steps in this direction have been taken in the last eight years. PM Modi has often spoken on the need to let go of colonial legacy, colonial symbols and replace it with Indian traditions and strategic thought.

Here is a list of remnants of colonial past erased by Modi government

PM Modi fight for freedom from colonial past started with renaming Race Course Road as Lok Kalyan Marg. The prime minister's residence is at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.

Redundant colonial-rra laws repealed

• Since 2014, Modi government has repealed more than 1500 old and obsolete laws. Most of these laws were remnants of the British era.

Merger of the Railway budget with the annual Union budget

• In 2017, breaking the 92-year-old tradition, the government merged the Rail Budget with the General Budget.

Presentation of the Budget on the First Day of February

• It has also done away with the colonial-era presentation of the Budget on the last day of February. The budget is now presented on the first day of February.

Grand statue of Bose at the India Gate Canopy

• In January 2022, PM Modi inaugurated the hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate. A statue will be installed soon in the canopy where the statue of King George V was earlier installed. It was removed in 1968.

Replacement of the beating 'Abide with Me'

• During Republic Day 2022, the Beating The Retreat ceremony's concluding piece 'Abide With Me' was removed, and Kavi Pradeep's seminal piece 'Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon' was introduced.

• Earlier in 2015, the Beating Retreat saw some major changes wherein Indian musical instruments sitar, santoor, and tabla were added for the first time. The retreat was thus infused with an Indian flavour.

Merger of Amar Jawan Jyoti with National War Memorial

• Amar Jawan Jyoti, the 'eternal flame', was merged with the flame of the National War Memorial (NWM).

Andaman and Nicobar islands renamed

• In December 2018, PM Modi took a page out of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's book and renamed three islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. Back in 1943, Bose had suggested that Andaman and Nicobar Islands be renamed as Shahid and Swaraj Dweep respectively.

• In a tribute to the freedom fighter, Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep.

Biplobi Bharat Gallery inaugurated at Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata

• PM recently inaugurated Biplobi Bharat Gallery at Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata. In what has been named after an erstwhile British Empress of India, PM inaugurated a gallery displaying the contribution of the Revolutionaries in the freedom struggle.

Teaching in mother tongue reflected in NEP 2020

• PM has been a proponent of teaching in mother tongue, as reflected in NEP 2020. This is a marked departure from the focus mainly on English based education, the wheels of which were set in motion during the British time.

PM Narendra Modi pushed for self-attestation of documents

• 2014: In a bid to save the common man from hassles, PM Modi pushed for shifting to self-certification of documents and pitched for minimum use of affidavits.

List of other remnants of colonial past erased by Modi government

• In 2015, Aurangzeb Road was renamed A P J Abdul Kalam Road.
• In 2017, Dalhousie Road was renamed Dara Shikoh Road.
• Teen Murti Teen Murti Chowk was changed to Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in 2018.