Maharashtra to drop caste-based names of localities

The Maharashtra government has announced that all caste-based names of localities in the state will be changed.

A PTI report said that the decision was made at the recent state Cabinet meeting. The Chief Minister's office said in a statement that the government chose to rename the localities to maintain social harmony and national unity.

The CMO added that names such as "Mahar-wada, Bouddh-wada, Mang-wada, Dhor-vasti, Brahman-wada and Mali-galli", which pointed to the community that resided in a certain area, were not suited to a progressive state like Maharashtra. The names refer to Dalits, Dalit Buddhists, the community that handles dead animals, and gardeners, among others.

The government said that the localities will now get names like Samata Nagar, Bhim Nagar, Jyotinagar, Shahunagar and Kranti Nagar.

The decision, state's Social Justice Minister Dhananjay Munde said, was a step towards "annihilating caste" in the society. "We aim at creating social harmony and a sense of kinship among different communities," he said.

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