A government order (GO 182) released by the Andhra Pradesh government granting permission to rename a government junior college in Bhimavaram in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, has not gone down well with several sections of people. They are hurt by the fact that permission has been granted to rename the government junior college from Kasturba Government Junior College to Grandhi Venkateswara Rao Government Junior College, after MLA Grandhi Srinivas Rao's father.
In an appeal to the government of Andhra Pradesh, representing the people of Bhimavaram and the alumni of Kasturba Government Junior College, Ashok Varma wrote in his petition that the decision to change the name of the government junior college is “surprising, shocking and deplorable”.
The petition said, “This decision was not only unfortunate but also legally untenable. Not only the civil society of Bhimavaram, but also the general public of West Godavari district are opposing this unilateral decision. Such a decision is against the spirit of philanthropy and the much-revered Gandhian principles and established norms and rules. General public across all sections are venting their anger and disapproval not only through word of mouth but also are flooding social media with messages and concerns.”
In the petition, Varma explained how the government junior college was set up by Chinthlapati Varaprasada Murty Raju who was popularly known as Murty Raju garu.
“He was a respected veteran, a philanthropist and a Gandhian in West Godavari District who donated huge tracts of lands worth Crores of Rupees in and around West Godavari district. He contributed his whole life to establish many educational institutions throughout West Godavari District. He dedicated his entire life spreading Gandhian principles, values & most importantly education to all sections of the society and the public.”
“Every society would cherish, protect the spirit, memories and sacrifices of its stalwarts like Sri Murthy Raju Garu who is known as a "Vidya Daata". He selflessly established nearly 100 educational institutions with a noble aim to impart education to the public even to the poorest of the poor -- reaching all sections of the society. Sri. Gandhi ji himself praised the role of Kasturba Gandhi in making Gandhi Ji a Mahatma and the Father of the Nation.
Removing the internationally renowned sacred soul's name and replacing it with that of the MLA's father's name is very surprising, shocking and deplorable.”
According to Varma, the MLA might have contributed financially to the institution, but that does not give him the right to etch his father’s name on a public institution established six decades ago. The petition also says, “the decision to replace a national icon’s memory for the sake of a local politician’s name is nothing short of playing with the sentiments, feelings and emotions” of the people.
Bhimavaram MLA Grandhi Srinivas Rao told the media that it was the principal of the junior college, VV Satyanarayana, who had proposed the change in the name of the college in February. The MLA also shared a copy of the proposal in which the principal has written to the Commissioner of Intermediate Education explaining the details for the change of name.
According to the details in the proposal, the college was shifted from the old campus to the new campus in June 2017 after the construction work was completed in the new campus. Then, Grandhi Balaji Rao, the brother of Bhimavaram MLA Grandhi Srinivas Rao, submitted a representation requesting for the renaming of the college to their father’s name as he had donated the site for the college. This was one of the three conditions that were put forward to the junior college authorities when he had donated around 35 cents of land for the college. The three conditions were:
1) The building has to be renamed as “Grandhi Venkateshwara Rao”
2) A family photo has to be displayed at a prominent place in the building
3) Honorary membership should be given to donors and their successors in the college development committee.
According to the MLA, he is well within his rights to change the name of the college as the family had donated around 35 cents of land to the college in order to save it from being shifted to another place.
The petition ends by mentioning that the people of Bhimavaram and the alumni of the college request the government to reconsider its decision and retain the original name of the government junior college as a mark of respect to Kasturba Gandhi and to honour the contribution and philanthropy of Murthy Raju garu.