What is wrong in naming Bandra Worli Sea link Bridge as Rajiv Gandhi Setu? Why is Shiv Sena - BJP protesting?

Question

I saw a question on YA and I thought of repying that question, but unfortunately before I could answer, that answer was closed, thus I thought, why not keep my views, in my own question?

I have read some news in media that Shiv Sena BJP combined are protesting against naming this bridge as Rajiv Gandhi Setu. Let me first of all explain there objection. There objection is not against Rajiv Gandhi, but there objection is against the origin of Rajiv Gandhi because he is non-Marathi. And there itself I have objection. Rajiv Gandhi was a Nation Leader, he was above Marathi, Gujarati, Bihari, Tamil or any other regional politics. I am fail to understand why is he dragged into this dirty regional politics? I clearly can feel that this question is being raised by Shiv Sena to only counter MNS pro-Marathi issues.

There were some concerns in the previous about Rajiv Gandhi, as if what did he do for the Nation. I was little surprised to read those comments as well as some answers. Let me answer tell you what Rajiv Gandhi did in 5 years.

1. Educcation: Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya System: There are approximately 557 JNVs across India as of now. They offer free education to all students who get selected through the admission process which includes an All India Entrance Exam, held at district level. Talented students from each district are selected through an All India Level Entrance Exam conducted each year by CBSE and are given admission to 6th standard/class in the JNVs of respective districts. Till 1998, the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test (JNVST) was conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education. The test is largely non-verbal and objective in nature and is designed to prevent any disadvantage to children from rural areas. Now admissions are also taken in Class IX and XI. During academic year 2008-09 admissions will be allowed in Class VIII. These admissions are conducted through an objective and descriptive test containing questions on English, Mathematics, Science, & Social Sciences. This "Lateral Entry" system is devised to fill the vacancies that arise due to withdrawal of admissions of the children who are admitted in class VI. And 80% of these admissions are reserved for rural students and 20% for urban.

In 1986, Rajiv Gandhi announced a "national education policy" to modernize and expand higher education programs across India.

2. Telecommunication: Rajiv Gandhi is the one who brought revolution in the field of telecommunications in India. He not only started Public Call Office (PCO), that brought telephones in every home at affordable rate. Next he started STD and ISD that really made telephones affordable for general public. To make this possible, he brought Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda or Sam Pitroda to India from Chicago and started Center for Development of Telematics or C-DOT. Rajiv Gandhi, was the one who started Mahanagar Telephones Nigam LTD or MTNL and I don't have to describe that because all Indians know about that. Computer and Computer education both were brought to India by Mr. Gandhi.

3. Economics: The economic policies adopted by Rajiv Gandhi were different from his precursors like Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Going, against the traditional socialism, Rajiv Gandhi decided to improve the bilateral relationships with the United States of America and subsequently expanded the economic and scientific cooperation with it. A revived foreign policy, emphasizing on the economic liberalization and information and technology moved India closer to the West.

His introductory measures to reduce the "Red Tapism" and allow business house to set up their establishments was remarkable.
Even lacking experience and only one term, major problems such as Punjab, and stabbing on the back by his colleagues such as Arun Nehru, V P Singh etc, if he has so many great achievements, he deserves our respects.

I do agree that there were some problems with his this one terms, and which prime minister did not have problems?

Why did Shiv Sena or BJP did not come up with a name before this Bridge was named as Rajiv Gandhi Setu?

Actually I personally have strong opposition against Savarkar's name, due to MANY reasons, but one that I would like to mention is this one:

This name is proposed to promote a regional division, and Mumbai does not belong to only Marathi. If Mumbai is Mumbai that is because of hard work of Indians and money invested by entire India. And the reason for proposing this name is not made up by me but given by the protesters themselves.

Why didn't BJP propose propose Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya or Dr. Shyamapradad Mookarjee and in particular Dr. Mookarjee?

Did Shiv Sena BJP oppose Mayawati, Kashiram's stetue in Lakhnow?

Are we protesting only because we want to protest or we are really protesting against an issue?

Answer 1

I live in Mumbai. I very well understand the entire politics behind the naming of this Bridge as Rajiv Gandhi Setu and protest against that.



Surely this bridge has been name as Rajiv Gandhi Setu in order to give an issue to Shiv Sena and MNS so that that they continue fighting within themselves and Congress/NCP can get benefited in the coming assembly elections. This was a trump card from Sharad Pawar, but amazing thing was, this issue was not at all touched by MNS, but only by Shiv Sena / BJP combined.



Yes surely the way this issue has been raised, the whole opposition by Shiv Sena / BJP combined leads to division by promoting regionalism in Mumbai. I don't really trust that they have anything to do with Savarkar, they are playing Marathi card.



Contribution of Rajiv Gandhi to the Nation cannot be forgotten but how long can we keep naming national properties on the name of politicians? Thus I am do not really support naming Sea Link bridge as Rajiv Gandhi Setu but I do not oppose it remembering his contribution, as you have already mention but you forgot the PANCHAYATI RAJ AND CHANGING VOTING AGE TO 18 YEARS.

Answer 2

Rajiv Gandhi Setu

Answer 3

Wow, such a long answer, you should try writing an essay on Rajiv Gandhi :)



Let me tell you something, this is a non-issue. Totally non-issue. Whatever, this bridge may be called officially, it will always be called Sea link all across. Like Mumbai Airport, practically everyone calls it Mumbai Airport, no one calls it as Chhatrapati Shivaji airport.



Congress/NCP named it as Rajiv Gandhi Airport, because they ruling alliance and every ruling party does the same thing.



BJP/Shiv Sena are opposing it, because opposition always opposes government decisions. I don't remember any praise from opposition parties for this great project. Shouldn't they have first appreciated the work and then created a controversey on the name if they wanted? Anyways, opposition has to oppose, Lalu Yadav is opposing Railway Budget, NDA oposed Nuclear agreement, what reason? Oh well, we are in oppostion, we have in opposition, we have to oppose.



Yes, I totally agree with the suggestions, that NONE OF THE NATIONAL PROPERTIES SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER ANY POLITICIANS IRRESPECTIVE OF POLITICAL BACKGROUND. And I also agree, we should use caution while selecting words for our National Leaders whether they belong to our party or opposting party, specially for those who are no more.

Answer 4

Why it can not be named after some one else also?, more connected with the region; what is the compulsion to name it only after a person, just because he is out of nehru genes. While for UPA/congress there is no Ram Setu just because they were not yet born in Lord Ram's time and also happen to be non-Hindoos, can there be a rjiv setu? Who are UPA/congress fooling including the questioner; Even rahul's kalavathy name could do, to honour the poor and destitute of India. But dont say once again a high profile Ambedkar, as he happens to be from the same region but who has already had a good share of his name being used or misused.Rajiv is only a NOTIONAL leader.If rajiv was a national leader, why he did not give bofors money to nation, but deposited it in swiss banks? Why the jain kapil is trying to abolish 10th board exams, if CBSE belongs to rajiv? If higher education programme is available in India, why indian students get killed in foreign countries? The sam(e) Pitroda was thrown into dust bin after rajiv's exit, by the same congress,why? Rajiv's brusqueness in saying 'you will be hearing from the next foreign secretary' is a notorious outburst! So, if you want to remember rajiv, name the bridge after the back stabbers V P singh etc, so that indians will be careful about such people. Mayawati, Kanshiram are supporters of downtrodden unlike the A320 rajiv like shah bano people.

Answer 5

In my 63 years, this is the LONGEST question I ever came across!



OK. I am not a Shivsena / BJP member but, have to say this:



There are already numerous buildings, roads, parks, colleges, universities etc all over India named after Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi & Rajiv Gandhi. And in future we can expect many more in the names of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, later his son or daughter etc.



Ever wonder why every nook & corner of each state should have these as though there are no regional heroes worth the respect? What such a great thing Rajiv Gandhi had done as PM? As I remember, just appointing Sam Pitroda who brought in an IT revolution was the "one" wise thing he did.



Why every city in India should have its main road named after Mahatma Gandhi? Why the University for Medical Education in Karnataka should be Rajiv Gandhi University and why not named after Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore? All this is just because most of the times till now, Congress party was / is in power in the center & most of the states and all congressee chamchas are forced to worship the descendants of Indira Gandhi.

Luckily, unlike the US President, we don't have a Congress President's "Dog - 1" or "Cat-1". Otherwise these congressmen & women would have been worshiping dogs & cats of Sonia Gandhi too.



Why the Bandra Worli Link can not be named after Bala Gangadhara Tilak / Shivaji ? Why Howrah Bridge can not be named after Jyoti Basu? I think Jyoti Basu deserves better than Rajiv Gandhi as he served the people much more than Rajiv. Okay, if you don't like all these non congress gentlemen, call the Bandra Worli bridge as "Man Mohan Singh Setu" or "Narasinha Rao Linkbridge" as they have done much more to India than Rajiv Gandhi. [Oh sorry, Congress President didn't like Narasinha Raoji].



I think there should be a limit even to chamchagiri.

Answer 6

The last sentence in your question itself is the answer to your question. The Shiv Sena is aloway on the look out for issue such as North Indian Issue or the use of English in sigh boards. Their vision is limited very much localised. They can't think of India as a whole. At whatever cost they want to stay in the news. For that purpose they may steep to any level.

Answer 7

The question should be why every Government built structure out of public money be named after Nehru-Gandhi dynastic people? What Rajiv Gandhi has done for Maharashtra? Why not the Development structures be named after great Patriots of Maharashtra or other parts of the Nation? The reasons given by you have no relevance towards the issue of naming. Nobody can object to Nehru's policies of development, which was relevant to the highly under developed nation at that time. Now how can Congress or BJP question Mayavati for squandering public money? It is my view that no Structure built from public money should be named after Politicians.

Answer 8

No we do not. It clearly show the miss management between BMC, state, MMRDA,.... The project should have completed couple of years ago. I dont know why and what are these people are proud of. They have wasted crores of public rupees. They should be made accountable for all these mess. And moreover they are charging 50 rupees for Toll Tax. Huh.... what an ironey

Answer 9

he has done good stuff for sure... but the congress people are not naming this after him to remember him or his contribution... their motive is to get political mileage from it..it is more like an advertisement to people...they call it rajiv ghandhi bridge but they actually mean "congress" bridge... they only want to make sure that the congress takes credit for the bridge before some other political party...



What is his relevance to this bridge?

there are people who have sacrificed more to the peopleof mumbai...all you political party suporters have very quickly forgotten the heroes of 26/11...If you had some sense of gratefulness and nationalism the first name that would have popped out of your head would be Major Sandeep unnikrishnan or Hemant karkare or Ashok Kamte....



But instead you are now fighting about whic political party/ politician should take the name..its a shame...you guys are so obsessed with fighting for your political party that it overshadows your own balanced thinking...



But it is stupid on my part to expect gratefullness or integrity or broad mindedness from politicians...



there have been enough landmarks named after politicians(Rajiv in particular)....please give credit to our national heroes...people who died in war etc...start naming streets and landmarks against their name...that will rise the nationalism of every Indian...

Answer 10

1) That the bridge would be named after Savarkar was proposed by SHARAD PAWAR, not by BJP/Sena.



2) When Pawar realized his PM dreams are shattered and that he needs Cong. to stay a central minister, he changed his plans.



3) Rajiv Gandhi remained PM only for 5 years, a tenure which was scandalized by charges of corruption. Bofors deal, Swiss banks account. HE IS THE ONLY PM TILL DATE TO HAVE SO GRAVE CORRUPTION CHARGES LEVELLED AGAINST HIM.



4) Rajiv Gandhi's Srilanka policy and his decision to send troops to Srilanka was a disaster which resulted in deaths of Indian soldiers on foreign soil for nothing.

It spoiled India- Srilanka relationship and projected India as a bullying big brother in the neighbourhood.

He himself was killed because of that. He was killed because of his own mistakes.



5)The SHAHBANO case is till date quoted as the biggest blow to India's secular credentials.



6) Rajiv Gandhi's open market policy and liberalisation was PROPAGATED by DR. SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJEE in 1948.



First Nehru & Indira will embrace socialism and then Rajiv will take a complete 360 degree turn and we have to give him credit for that? Is it not TRIAL & ERROR method of running the country by the same family?

ARE WE, THE INDIANS, GUINEA PIGS OF NEHRU-GANDHI FAMILY?



6) Whatever little work he might have done is highly DISPROPORTIONATE with the CREDIT HE is RECEIVING.



He already has Bharatratna, lots of awards, stadiums and even airports named after him.



MAY BE NEXT THE TAJMAHAL WILL BE NAMED RAJIV GANDHI MAHAL.



BJP/Sena is only demanding that Pawar and NCP stick to their original plan of naming the bridge after Savarkar. They didnot propose Savarkar's name.

Answer 11

Oh ! The Gandhi family is every thing for India !They have created every thing in India !They are God of India !What we can expect from you to put this type of question where you are for only Congress,OOPS ! for Gandhi family !



We have so many historical person who are more....more greater than any rajiv Gandhi,think for them first !

Answer 12

Why does BJP get het up over the most trivial issues?



I think it should have a politically neutral name....



Anyway, ruling parties have always had their say when it comes to naming...BJP's protests will be of no avail.

Answer 13

These days no one cares about the hipocrisy of those who create such nonsense. They lost elections and have nothing to do.



HERE IS THE CHALLENGE:



WIN THE ELECTIONS AND DO WHAT YOU WANT OR ELSE NO ONE CARES.

Answer 14

I think it should be named on Mahatma Gandhi !

Answer 15

Yes! Indians r not allowed to look beyond Gandhis ! India should be renamed as Gandhisthan ! Happy now ?

Answer 16

Shouldn't india also be renamed as Gandhisthan - the land of gandhis (the original one and his forged successors).

Answer 17

thank you...at least one soul in y!a realises the contribution of rajiv gandhi towards our country...it seems like the bjp wants to protest simply for the sake of getting media attention...when they were in power did they not do the same thing??



@ aftermath..wow..i'm impressed ...you tole them proper pardner ;-D

Answer 18

@ Maitree, I never read a better answer. It is so to the point and logical. You are doing a great job.

Answer 19

because they want some publicity too