Every time we pray for a game-changing Government, we seem to end up with a name-changing one — more focused on swapping plaques than shaping policies. 

When Congress holds power, renaming seems to revolve around the Gandhi family. Roads, airports, institutions and even national parks morph into tributes to the dynasty. 

Karnataka’s Nagarahole National Park, steeped in its own historical narrative, became Rajiv Gandhi National Park. Even basic utilities like water and electricity were branded with Gandhi names, as though Indians owed perpetual gratitude to their new ‘benevolent’ rulers — ironic since all these services were taxpayer-funded in a new ‘democratic’ India.

The BJP, in turn, engages in its own renaming crusade, rolling back Congress-era names or rebranding with its ideological icons. The result? A never-ending cycle of identity politics that reduces even a road to a political branding issue. 

This obsession with renaming is harmful; it erodes history. Consider Delhi’s Connaught Place and Connaught Circus, rechristened as Indira Chowk and Rajiv Chowk in 1995. 

The much-educated Congressman Mani Shankar Aiyar defended the move with a bizarre metaphor: The names symbolised “a mother embracing her son.” A BJP MP famously retorted, “Is this country the fiefdom of Rajiv and Indira?” An audacious Congress MP replied, “Yes.”

The trend isn’t confined to the national stage anymore as now the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has proposed renaming a stretch of KRS Road, officially named Princess Road as ‘Siddaramaiah Arogya Marga,’ after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Why? Because of the hospitals established during his tenure. 

But here’s the catch: Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar constructed a Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases Hospital named Princess Krishnajammanni Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases (PKTB &CD) Hospital way back in 1921, that’s 104 years ago, and back then he had the vision to earmark 200 acres of land for future development!

Without Nalwadi’s foresight, there wouldn’t have been space for Siddaramaiah to build the modern healthcare facilities he did. Yet, instead of celebrating this visionary legacy, there’s a push to overwrite it.

The renaming proposal also exposed bureaucratic incompetence. The MCC Commissioner didn’t know the road already had a name — Princess Road — and Mysuru MP Yaduveer  Wadiyar had to visit him with proof! 

If our MCC Commissioner had just taken a quick glance at the address boards on the old houses along that road he could have avoided the embarrassment.

This renaming obsession is a circus of political sycophancy, with loyalists leaping to flatter their leaders while those in power silently smile their approval.

It would be better if CM Siddaramaiah listened to what MLC A.H. Vishwanath had to say yesterday.

The MLC warned Siddaramaiah that his overzealous supporters risk tarnishing his reputation and cited the MUDA controversy as an example of how his overzealous followers have gotten him into trouble. 

Indeed, when people in public life do good work, they must be honoured but excessive renaming doesn’t honour — it insults. It dilutes   the legacy. 

Worse in India, streets and statues meant to celebrate achievements often turn into symbols of neglect.

Take the case of Mahatma Gandhi Road in our city. If Gandhiji were to walk down this road he would gasp “Hey Ram!”  and collapse.

This road has the filthiest market. The road is constantly blocked and stinking with goods             autos, rotting vegetables, cows and dung.  It’s an insult to Gandhiji. 

The same issue with the Thathaiah Park near the City Bus Stand. M. Venkatakrishnaiah,
fondly known as Thathaiah, was a freedom fighter from our city and Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, to celebrate his contributions, imported Italian marble to make his statue.

The statue was unveiled by President of India V. V. Giri in 1969. Now the statue sits in the midst of chaos, dust and pigeon poop. 

Renaming roads sets a bad precedent. Today it is officially Princess Road, tomorrow it may turn into ‘Siddaramaiah Arogya Marga’, soon another leader named Ramaiah may come along and  build a line of colleges and his supporters will want it renamed as ‘Ramaiah Vidya Marga…’ Where will it end?

For now, we helpless tax-payers want to tell the Government — first make good roads, then worry about naming or renaming them. 

P.S. – Just some road-related trivia.  In 1969, the Left Front in West Bengal renamed the street outside the US Consulate in Kolkata after Ho Chi Minh, the communist leader who sent the US military packing from Vietnam.

Similarly, the Iranians named the street in Tehran on which the British Embassy stood as Bobby Sands Road. Bobby Sands was a member of the Irish Republican Army which was opposed to British rule.

Speaking of roads, there is a road called Mysore Road in London. It is named after a recruitment centre of the Mysore Regiment which was housed on that street. There is a Mysore Street in New Zealand and a Mysore Road in South Africa!

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