New Delhi/ Port Blair, Mar 22: A BJP member of Rajya Sabha on Wednesday put forward a demand to change the name of the famous Havelock Island in the Andamans. The reason he cited for the urgent change is that the island is in the name of a person who stood against Indian and fought against the Indian patriots in 1857.
Seven decades after still a place in India is remebered in the name of a British general is something shameful to the country said the MP.
BJP member L A Ganesan raised the matter during the Zero Hour saying that Havelock had fought against Indians during 1857 revolt led by leaders like Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. He said there was a statue of him in the Trafalgar Square in London for his role in crushing the forces of Indian patriots.
Ganesan questioned that over 60 years after Independence, there is still an island named after such a person.
He also said that Andaman islands is a place where people like Veer Savarkar had been jailed.
After Ganesan raised questions about an island being named after an East India Company’s General, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said it was a good suggestion which the government should examine.
